


The Best Laid Plans of Jensen Ackles ...

by dugindeep (hotsauce)



Series: best laid plans [1]
Category: CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-02
Updated: 2011-11-02
Packaged: 2017-10-25 15:10:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/271682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotsauce/pseuds/dugindeep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray ... and it couldn't be truer of what Jensen and Danneel have planned for their life until Jared is suddenly a part of Jensen's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Laid Plans of Jensen Ackles ...

**Author's Note:**

> Written for , based on [The Back-Up Plan](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212436/). There is no J-Lo or mpreg in this fic. There is, however, lots and lots of Jensen-Danneel BFFery. Perhaps more than Jensen/Jared relationship. Whoops.

Jensen is late and Danneel is going to kill him. She won’t take excuses or the sorriest of looks he can aim at her. It doesn’t matter how awful traffic is or how poorly this cabbie is navigating it, she’ll fire him an ugly glare and rip into him the second they’re alone for missing such an important appointment.

He knocks on the fiberglass keeping the cabbie secure from troublesome customers, or probably so they don’t strangle him when he doesn’t manage to change lanes at the right time or get them where they’re going in a decent amount of time. Like now: Jensen is already ten minutes late to meet Danneel and it’s likely he won’t be getting there any time soon.

“Can you take Madison?” he asks as nicely as possible, even when he’s sure he looks aggravated. “Or Senate?” he says before mumbling, “Anything that moves.”

The cabbie tilts his head towards Jensen, but only responds to whoever’s on the other side of his blue tooth.

“They’ll give anyone a license.” Jensen rolls his eyes and pulls his cell out, typing a quick message to let Danneel know he’s on the way and _trying_ to make it. With a sudden jerk of the cab, Jensen smacks his face into the fiberglass and drops his cell in the footwell. He curses as he grabs it and when he looks up, he sees the cabbie smirking

Sighing, Jensen fishes his wallet out of his back pocket and counts enough bills to cover the trip so far. “Thanks anyway!” he complains and tosses the money through the small opening of the fiberglass. He hops out of the cab and rushes up to the sidewalk, hustling as he eyes the approaching street sign, then he writes a text to Danneel for an update and attempts to get his bearings for where he is and where he needs to be.

He jogs around the corner then smacks into something _hard_ , dropping right to his back with a loud groan, pain shooting across the back of his skull and down his spine. “Oh, god,” he moans, shifting on the cement and blinking up to a blurry giant wincing down at him.

“Man, you okay? What’s with people always in such a hurry? Jesus,” the guy rattles off as he pulls Jensen up by the elbow.

Jensen stretches from side to side, feeling a hard pull of his back and looking around. The impact of the cement has him woozy and he’s suddenly confused as to what he was doing before he fell. He looks to the guy in front of him and blinks. “What?”

“That guy,” he says, pointing from where Jensen had come. “He rammed right into you and then just took off. Hit and run on foot seems to be a pretty criminal offense. Where’s the police when you need them?”

Glancing over his shoulder, Jensen can’t spot any one specific in the rush of pedestrians hurrying through their lunch hours. Suddenly the guy is wiping down Jensen’s suit shirt and dusting off his back, so Jensen spins to stare at him.

“You okay?”

Jensen’s still completely lost, and he takes some time to look the guy over. He’s built like a freaking train, but that betrays how earnest and worried (and good looking) he is when he watches Jensen. “You sure I didn’t run into you?” The guy’s eyebrows draw together and Jensen tries to smirk despite the headache brewing at the base of his skull. “I mean, look at you,” he says, motioning up and down the tall man.

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Nah, I’m sure. I probably wouldn’t have let you back up if that were the case.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Jensen smiles easily. “Then I wouldn’t have anything to complain about.”

“That’s a great answer,” he grins, putting his hand out. “Jared Padalecki.”

“Jensen Ackles,” he replies easily, returning the strong grip. “Nice to not run into you.”

“Well, it could’ve been better, as we’ve already established,” Jared replies with a playful tilt of his head. “You good, though?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” Jensen is mindful enough not add _now_ with an inappropriate look, considering they’ve only just met and are standing on a busy sidewalk, though it’s hard to ignore the want to keep flirting right where they stand.

“Well, good,” he agrees with an easy smile and nod. “Would hate to think you’re totally useless for the rest of the day, considering how quickly you were rushing around anyway.”

“Oh shit,” he groans, rubbing over his neck as pain spikes there upon being reminded. “I’m late, and Danneel’s gonna kill me. My roommate, she’s got this hormonal thing – short temper and -” He starts to shuffle away. “I gotta go, but it was nice to meet a Good Samaritan. Thanks!”

As Jensen’s jogging off, Jared calls out to him and hurries to catch up. “Hold up, you dropped these.” He’s got Jensen’s wallet and cell in his hands, and he’s fumbling to hold them both while typing at the phone. “Here,” he smiles. “Maybe we can meet up without you laid out on the sidewalk.”

Jensen takes his things back and smirks at the newly programmed contact. “Definitely, we will. If she doesn’t kill me first.” Jensen makes quick steps and waves over his shoulder as he runs off.

He’s sweaty when he makes it into the doctor’s office and to the exam room where Danneel’s reclining on the medical bench in a blue gown. He knows he’s late enough to have missed the important parts and he’s certain Danneel’s going to gut him for it given the way her face is all twisted and pained.

“I’m so sorry, traffic was a bitch, and I had this shitty cab, and then,” he rambles and then he stops. He spots the flush on her normally beautiful face and how she bites into her lower lip with wet eyes pinning him in place. “Dan?” he asks softly.

She shuts her eyes and barely shakes her head, mouthing _no_.

 

  


 

Back at their apartment, he brings a cup of tea into her bedroom, but she shuts her eyes when he offers it to her, so he puts it on the bedside table. He lies down next to her, sitting up so he can rest his arm above her head, pull her hair away from her face, and set his other hand over hers at her belly. “It’s gonna be okay,” he murmurs. When she doesn’t reply, he threads his fingers through hers and squeezes.

Her fingers tighten around his and she breathes deep. “Five times now. When does it all become just a stupid pipe dream?”

Jensen shuffles lower to hold her closer and kiss her cheek. “It’s not just a dream. It takes time.”

“I’m not getting any younger,” she mumbles. “Even if it does work, whenever that is, I’ll be the oldest mother in the books.”

He snorts and squeezes her tight.

It’s been nearly twenty years now for their friendship, and they’ve seen more of each other than any lifetime of friends - from partying in college to surviving Masters theses and first jobs, laughably bad relationships to ones that had gone sour too soon and made them both irritable and skeptical. After countless years of living together and being everything for one another, and both fearing their far-too-impending forties, he made the ultimate commitment to his best friend and agreed to help her get pregnant. He’s been with her every step of the process thus far, a never-ending string of doctors’ appointments, vitamins and hormones, check-ins, and baby names. He’s sworn to father and raise a child with Danneel.

Not many know about it, but none of their friends or family has questioned the bond they share. He can’t imagine his life without her, or letting her go through this without any help. Over the years, she’s hardly asked him for much of anything beyond love and support for all that they’ve lived through together.

He hasn’t once questioned the arrangement, but he’s beginning to think that living through Danneel’s pain each time the procedure fails could make him call it off.

“We just keep trying,” Jensen insists anyway, certain they both need a dose of good faith. “It’s gotta stick sometime.” She clenches her eyes shut and he winces at his poor choice of words. “You know what I mean.”

“But when is enough, enough?” she asks emotionally.

He rubs their hands over her stomach and smiles warmly. “When we’ve got a li’l bun in the oven.”

She chuckles thickly and a tear spills out. “Since when are you the optimist in this relationship?”

He’s seen all sides to Danneel. This one here – heartbroken and defeated – isn’t new so much as hardly witnessed. It makes his heart hurt all the same.

Jensen wipes her stray tear away and keeps his smile in place. “Since you needed me to be.”

 _Thank you_ she mouths, and he kisses her cheek. “Maybe it’s better you weren’t there,” she says softly.

“I promise I’ll be there every time. No matter what.”

Danneel carefully smiles and turns into him to snuggle against his chest. “You’re the best man I’ve ever had in my life.”

“I know,” he responds smugly and pinches her side, making her laugh. “No one can compete with me.”

She rests against him and picks at a button on his shirt with one of her sweeter smiles in place. “What’m I gonna do when some guy realizes how great and modest you are?”

“Well, they haven’t yet, so I think we’re safe from that horror.” Just then, his phone beeps in his pocket, alerting him of what’s likely a work email, and he frowns. He pulls it out and after a few mishits on the menu, he’s staring at the new contact entered just an hour or so ago. He tries to stop the smile coming with the memory of his run-in on the sidewalk, but it’s useless. Instead of checking email, he shuts the phone off and tosses it onto the mattress just beyond Danneel. “Speaking of, some guy knocked me down when I was running to meet you.”

“Did you slap the shit out of him? With these hormone levels, I would have.”

“I know you would,” he chuckles. “But no, I didn’t even see him - before or after. And then this other guy helped me up, hit on me even harder, and gave me his number.”

She pulls back enough to give him a strange look, one he knows is her preparing to mock him for something or other. “How unfortunate for you,” she says flatly. He laughs and she smiles warmly, way more familiar to their friendship and easy talking. “Are you gonna call him?”

“I don’t know.” Jensen thumbs a few strands of hair off her cheek. “I’ve got a pretty good thing here.”

“You could at least have some fun while dealing with my drama.”

“What’re you talking about?” he asks with playful confusion. “I love your drama.”

“And I love yours,” she insists, softly laughing. “So go do something stupid then come back and tell me all about it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

 

  


 

He doesn’t think about Jared. Much.

There’s a small nag that he should, and could, call the guy, but he’s set himself to the notion that he’ll be single forever. Not lonely, though; he’s got Danneel, and he knows they’ll be here forever and tied together as parents of whatever little bundle they create.

Besides, he’s not about to ruin Danneel’s surprising change of mood when he returns from a mid-morning run that weekend.

“Thirsty?” she asks before he’s even made it three feet into their apartment. He steps up to the counter splitting the living room from the kitchen. She’s got a new bounce in her step as she moves to her side of the counter and slides a glass of something orange and pulpy towards him.

“Well look at you,” he breathes out, lungs still working through his cool-down. She had stuck to her bed since they returned from the doctor on Wednesday, holed up in her room longer than she had after all the other times the doctors told her the procedure hadn’t worked. But here she is dressed, hair done, and smiling.

“You’re all fresh-faced and … cooking,” he says, almost like a question. He taps the side of the glass, wary of whatever’s in it.

“I’ve got a second wind.” Danneel makes a face then crookedly smiles. “Okay, maybe a sixth wind. But the sun’s out, it’s the weekend, and I’m ready for round seven.”

“Also ready to poison me, apparently. Is this safe for human consumption?” he asks, pointing at the concoction before him.

“Yes, you jerk,” she replies. When he frowns, she narrows her eyes and punches his shoulder.

“Ow!” he snaps, flinching away from her.

“Oh, please. I’m a girl.”

“Who hits like a man,” Jensen whines, rolling his shoulder through the twinge of pain. She rolls her eyes and flicks his chin with a slim finger. “A man with very tiny hands, but you’re freaking bony.”

“Just drink it,” she groans. “I’ve finally cracked open that juicer from your work party.”

He picks the glass up and assesses the thickness of the juice, lightly swirling it and watching the pulp stick to the inside of the glass. “You dusted it off first, right? That party was in 2008.” He glances past her and sees the dish drainer full of damp dishes and one side of the counter covered by two dish towels with bowls and glasses turned over to dry. “Oh, wow. You’ve been … busy.”

“Sixth wind,” she nods with a pert smile.

“You know you’re not supposed to start nesting until _after_ you’re pregnant, right?”

“Okay, none for you.” She grabs the glass from his hands and he plays up a groan.

“I was so looking forward to that.”

Danneel eyes him then puts it back in front of him. “On second thought, I’d rather witness your horror.”

It’s not that she’s a bad cook, really. She just doesn’t often cook or clean or do anything domestic. Her strength is all in her emotions and support, which has been proven by two decades of dedicated friendship and solidified his decision to be everything he can to her. Still, it doesn’t mean he’s not going to rib her for what she does lack.

Jensen takes a small sip, and when he’s not immediately horrified by the orange juice, he takes a fuller gulp. That’s when he tastes something bitter and off about it. “Mmm, yeah,” he says with a push, trying to cover his disgust with it. “What’s in it?” he asks, keeping some of the liquid in his mouth just so he doesn’t have to punish his stomach with more of it.

“Oranges and pineapple.”

“Is that it?”

“And carrots,” she replies with a smile. She turns back to the juicer to unload the canister and fill a clean carafe with what’s left of the awfulness, which is exactly when Jensen spits the drink back into the glass. “There’s this new high-Vitamin A, high-fiber diet supported by vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots, both of which are high in carotene.”

When she looks at him from over her shoulder, he fakes a sip and strong swallow and smiles at her. “So you’re aiming for a kid with 20/20?”

“Vitamin A is good for cellular formation, thank you very much.”

He frowns at the thought that she’s reinforcing her already particularly high-vitamin specialty diet to account for the bad news of Wednesday. Then he takes a long moment to eye her. “You’re reading those message boards again aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” she admits oddly.

He knows he sounds sharp when he asks, “Why?”

She sighs and rolls her eyes. “They are not _witches_ , Jensen.”

“I did not call them witches,” he insists.

“You’re always mocking them and saying they’re crazy, pathological liars.”

“I would never,” he argues. “I called them holistic psychosomatics.”

“You said they’re all psychotic bitches,” she fires back, hands planted on her hips and aiming a dark look at him.

His eyes lift up towards the ceiling as he thinks. “Okay, that sounds a little familiar.” He gets a towel to the face for it, but they’re both smiling and it’s more like them than it has been in weeks.

Danneel’s been strung up with worry for the recent procedure and praying through the various rounds of in vitro in hopes that this last time would be the money ball. Jensen can admit he’s been relatively reserved while being supportive, keeping his anxiety to himself to be her crutch. It’s been exhausting for them both.

“So what else did Mother Goose, Web M.D., suggest?” he asks, nudging the glass away.

“Really?” she asks, eying the juice.

He gives his saddest look and nods. “Honey, it’s awful.”

“Maybe I can spike it with some vodka, make it go down faster.” At his immediate shock, she laughs and snags the towel from his hands just to smack him in the face again, albeit nicely this time. “Kidding!” She rings the towel through the handle of the oven, pulling neatly at the edges. “The Mother Board listed some other dietary supplements I’m gonna check out, but for now, they insist that a low-stress lifestyle is in order.”

Jensen rolls his eyes; he _wishes_ she were kidding about the name of the site she can’t keep away from. “You know what would be low stress? Not trying out your new recipes on me.”

“You’re just a taste tester, not a full-blown experiment.”

He nods at her with a smooth, “Mmhmm.” He watches her move through the kitchen and realizes it’s the cleanest it’s been in nearly two months, and when he shifts to sit at the stool tucked under the counter, he sees that the living room is nearly spotless, too. “Are we having company?”

“I’m doing manis and pedis.” He eyes her and purses his lips, because he’s not committed for that much. “ _Low stress_ , Jensen.”

“Again, I’m not your guinea pig.”

“Ahh, whatever,” she sighs then smiles. “Mom’s bringing me some Grandma Elta home remedies, and then we’re doing some new feng shui arrangement she saw in the new Rachael Ray.”

Jensen groans immediately, twisting around on the stool and wincing. “No, Danneel! We have a rule – it’s the only rule!”

“This apartment is mine as much as it is yours,” she fights back. “The lease and our rent says so. I’m free to do what I need to do.”

“Damnit, Danneel!” he whines. “You know you have to warn me when your mom’s coming.”

“But she loves you!”

He groans again and gives her a pitiful look. “Yeah, well, too much sometimes.”

“She’s coming to help.”

Jensen’s eyes widen and he snarks, “Oh, I bet she will.”

Danneel forces a lame smile and waves him off. “Whatever, you stink. Go shower.”

Hopping off the stool, he steps down the hallway with a long sigh. “I’d say happily, but this totally sucks.”

“Hey, Jensen?” she calls after him.

“What?”

“As warning? My mother’s coming.”

 

  


 

He’d called pretty much everyone in his phone and was met with the same result: no one’s available and there’s no escaping Mama Harris. He at least puts it off for a bit when there’s steady knocking at the front door and he doesn’t budge from where he’s laid out on his bed with a _Supernanny_ marathon on the TV in the corner.

He knows it ain’t pretty, but he excuses it away as research for the big day.

“Get the door!” Danneel calls from the bathroom.

He doesn’t care if she’s holed up with a long bout of irritable bowel syndrome; he’s not answering the door.

“Jensen!”

“No!”

When Danneel finally stomps down the hallway and stops at his door, he feeds her a winning smile. “You are cruel and heartless,” she complains then adds, “And ugly.”

“No need to get rude,” he whines.

She laughs as she heads to the front door and, even from across the apartment, he can hear the outburst of Danneel’s mom cooing over her only daughter. Jensen makes faces and mocks the words, but he freezes when he hears her mom ask where he is.

With Helene Harris loudly calling for him, repeatedly, he groans, rolls off the bed, and drags himself into the living room. “Helene,” he sounds out sweetly when he reaches them in the front room. “How are you?”

“Oh, my favorite guy,” she gushes and shoves three bags into Danneel’s arms before dumping another two onto the counter. “Come here youuuuu,” she coos at him.

Jensen moves into her embrace and shouldn’t be surprised when she wraps him in a bear hug, shucks them from side to side, and wetly kisses his cheek, but he always is. “Hi,” he says pathetically.

She cups his cheeks and squeezes his face as she grins at him. “How are you, sweetheart? You doing okay? Getting enough sun? Are you eating? You look so thin and pale.”

“I am thin and pale,” he replies as he pulls her hands away.

She frowns and instantly inflicts motherly guilt. “But you look … more so than the last time.”

Jensen shoots Danneel a quick glare. “Well, thank you.”

Danneel grins at him, all tart and smug, like she’s happy he’s tortured by this. “Mama, why don’t you sit down and we’ll take care of this stuff,” she offers while rearranging the bags in her arms.

“Yeah, why don’t you relax and Danneel will take care of things,” he nods with a smile.

“You are helping,” Danneel insists.

“I have plans.”

“Since when?”

“Since now.” He grins and pats Helene’s shoulder as he steers her towards the couch. “I bet you had a long drive into the city and need to take a load off. Get your feet all comfy for those great pedicures you guys have lined up tonight.”

“You’re not joining us?” Helene asks sadly.

“I’m afraid I can’t. But next time, sign me up.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Danneel says from the kitchen. He grimaces at her and she sweetly smiles. “Have fun with your new plans.”

“I promise I will.”

 

  


 

He doesn’t have a single thing lined up, but getting away from the apartment and out from under Helene’s critical, motherly eye is his main concern. He loops around the neighborhood, stops at a corner coffee shop for a cup, and ropes through a nearby park. Sitting on an empty park bench before a wide lawn of a dog park, he fiddles with his phone and plays Scrabble with Tom. After he clears his letters for a 56-point score, he fires off a message to him: _too busy to hang, but not too much for this?_

_Jamie’s cousin’s wedding. How many points for sanctimonious?_

Jensen laughs and shuts down his messaging system when something occurs to him. He flips through his contacts, hovering over _Jared the Good Samaritan_ as he smiles at the details in the entry. The address is “The Intersection of 12th and Sidewalk”, where he’d been plowed over by an unknown pedestrian, and he chuckles.

In seconds, someone’s answering with a rushed, “Yeah, hi.”

“Hi? Jared?”

“Yeah,” is the short reply.

“Hey, it’s Jensen, from 12th and Sidewalk,” he tries playfully, sitting back. “Is this a bad time?”

Jared starts off with a crabby, “Bad time, good time? Does it really matter with random phone calls,” and ends with a short laugh. “Wait, nevermind.” Another quick laugh, bright but nervous, and Jared is nicer, more like he was on Wednesday. “12th and Sidewalk. That was one of my better moments.”

“Much better than the last few minutes,” Jensen jokes.

“Sorry, it’s just been a long day.”

“Day ain’t half over.”

“I know, right?” Jared chuckles tiredly. “God, I’ve been running around for hours it seems, chasing after my stupid dog. Who really isn’t that stupid considering he’s figured out how to get my front door open and ran right out the front lobby.”

Jensen laughs, trying to imagine a dog’s paw wrapped around a doorknob. “How in the hell did he do that?”

“I have no clue,” Jared laughs back. “He’s got four stubby digits and no opposable thumbs. Some days even _I_ can’t get the damned door open.”

“And you’ve got yourself some good paws there, if I remember correctly.” Jared’s low rumble of a laugh warms Jensen right in his chest, and he’s grateful his line wasn’t as cheesy as it seemed coming out of his mouth.

“And you’ve got yourself a good memory.”

“It’s hard to forget a knight in shining flannel.”

“Oh, and a great sense of humor, too,” Jared snips right back.

“You don’t even know,” he replies smugly.

“So, what’s up? Fall face first in a parkway lately?”

Jensen smiles. “Now who’s the funny one? I’m taking tips from your dog and escaping my apartment. I have no plan so now I’m at Smithfield Park watching dumb humans chase smart dogs.”

Jared laughs broadly, and Jensen still can’t get over how great a sound it is or how easy this conversation is going, how much they’re clicking just minutes into their second conversation. “Smithfield down on 45th?”

“That’s the one.”

“I’ll likely regret this, after all it’s not like he deserves a vacation, but I could be down there in twenty and let him loose.”

“You sure you wanna do that?” Jensen asks slyly. “Sic him on all these innocent bystanders?”

“I’ve done worse things.”

Jensen wonders if he’s about to do something even worse, but he figures he’s not left with many options. Go home to Danneel and Helene and serve himself up for some prime mothering that he never lets his own mom get away with, or take Jared up on his offer, listen to Danneel’s suggestion, and start himself some drama of his own.

“Well, I’ve got myself coffee and no place to go.”

Jared chuckles. “You’re a cheap date and I like it.”

 

  


 

When Jared shows up, he hands Jensen a new coffee as his dog races inside the fenced-off area with a few new friends. “Try this,” he insists with an easy smile.

“Last time I heard that, I was coughing up liquid carrot.”

“You what?”

“You heard me.” Jensen smiles and asks, “What’s in this?”

“Coffee and other stuff.” It’s said simply, but Jared’s eyes are playful as he drinks from his own cup.

“Seriously, _liquid carrot_. And probably sweet potato and pumpkin.”

“What?” he laughs unevenly.

“I wouldn’t put it past her to put everything orange to the mix.”

“Just drink it,” Jared insists. “I’ve got a thing about guessing coffee.”

“A thing?”

“An intuition.”

“Are you psychic?” Jensen recalls his conversation with Danneel in the kitchen this morning and eyes Jared warily, though with a hint of a smile. “Or a warlock?”

“I am neither of those things,” Jared grins. “But apparently you’re paranoid of your cook.”

Jensen nods in agreement and slowly sips from the cup. It’s fresher than his at this point and steaming like Jared just grabbed it off a nearby cart. It’s not his particular preference, but it passes.

“So how’d I do?”

“Well, it’s hot.”

Jared smirks. “Like me.”

“And sweet.”

“Also like me.”

Jensen gives him a sharp look that evens out into something more heated. “And incredibly smooth.” At Jared’s equally intimate gaze, Jensen takes another drink and nods. “You’ve done well, Young Skywalker.”

“It is a gift,” Jared nods, smirking at his coffee cup and drinking. “And a curse. But mostly a gift. Earns me a lot of points with the fellas.”

“Please tell me you don’t actually say _fellas_ when you do this trick.”

“Is it working?”

Jensen shifts towards the fenced-in dogs trampling around as if they’re free with so many other mutts to play with, all so he doesn’t show his cards and grin right at Jared. “Maybe a little.”

He knows it’s more like a lot, and Jared apparently does, too, given the sly look he shoots Jensen’s way before he also turns to watch the dogs at play.

Jensen points towards the fence. “Which one’s yours?”

“The one about to chase his tail.”

“I thought cats did that.”

“I told you he’s kinda dumb.” Jared chuckles to himself and slides lower on the bench to stretch his far-too-long legs draped in faded but perfect denim. If they weren’t in public, Jensen would like to climb over them and plant himself in Jared’s lap. Also, if he didn’t have fresh coffee. “But he’s got heart. Also like me.”

“You’re dumb, but have a heart. Got it,” Jensen says with a knowing nod.

“This is _not_ how I saw this going, I gotta say.”

“You found me all tree posed on the cement, I have to redeem myself,” Jensen insists.

“Tree posed?”

“It’s from chair yoga,” he answers on reflex then frowns at himself for saying it.

Jared gives him a long, skeptical glance. “You do chair yoga?”

“My roommate does.” Jensen thinks over the modified positions Danneel took on just after this last fertilized egg was implanted and immediately realizes this is not the conversation to be having with a guy who’s lined up for a good time.

Thankfully, Jared lets it go and drinks more coffee. “Your roommate is Danneel, the one you were racing to meet the other day, right? Did you make it?”

He fights the frown at what all happened that afternoon. “No, I was still late.” He clears his throat and asks, “So, what do you do?” as he slides to the side, hitching his knee onto the bench beside Jared and deflecting all possibility for where that line of talk could go. “You know, besides coffee genie?”

 

  


 

Jensen learns quickly that Jared talks, a lot, but he’s fun and engaging and also listens when Jensen adds to the conversation. He’s got a great, wide smile, addictive dimples in the middle of his tan cheeks, and a set of killer hands that restlessly stroke his own cup once it’s gone empty.

When the sun’s dropping down and the dog park is thinning out, Jensen joins Jared to walk the excitable Harley back to Jared’s apartment, wanting to stretch out his escape from Mama and Daughter Harris, not to mention his time with Jared.

They’ve covered simple topics, all easy talk and even easier flirtation. Jensen decides that Helene should visit more often if it means running out for an impromptu coffee date that’s this entertaining and going this well, considering Jared’s shooting him a smooth smile at the front steps to his three-story apartment building.

“You wanna come up and check out Harley’s digs? He’s got a sick collection of pig ears and a stash of my half-eaten flip flops.”

Jensen glances up at the building and grants Jared a smooth smile. “I love pig ears.”

“Well, you’re gonna have to fight my boy off,” Jared jokes as he lets Harley and Jensen inside. “He’s got a mean possessive streak he picked up on the streets.”

“On the streets? He’s totally hard core.”

“He is,” Jared nods, leading the way up two flights of stairs. “He’s settled now, but the kid’s still got some fight in him. Lord only knows what he was up to before the shelter got him.”

Jensen nods with him, following the last few steps as Jared keeps going.

“Poor mutt just stared at me with the saddest eyes and I couldn’t help but bring him home. In addition to my coffee instincts, I’ve got a bit of a hero complex. Just as a warning.”

He laughs, and then feels his stomach swoop when Jared unlocks his apartment, lets Harley rush ahead, and motions him inside. He’s really going into Jared’s apartment, after spending just a few hours of modest coffee talk at the park with the guy, and while he’s more than content to make the most of whatever time they have today, it still makes him anxious. “What else do you save?”

“Kids in burning buildings, cats in trees, and the occasional damsel on the sidewalk.”

Jensen’s so close to gushing at Jared for all the easy banter they’ve got going, but he’s quickly quieted, and eased, by Jared’s sudden show of nerves.

Jared spins in the living room and vaguely gestures around. “So this is my place.”

Jensen points towards the corner where pieces of raw hide are precariously stacked. “And Harley’s pyramid.”

“I told you he’s got himself magic paws.”

“Some magic teeth, too,” Jensen says sympathetically. He rubs at a side table with chew marks at the corner and frowns. “I’d hate to see where he sleeps.”

“Mainly in my bed. Boy has himself some codependency issues,” Jared jokes.

Jensen looks Jared over, from head to toe and back up just to make his point. “That’s too bad.”

The way Jared’s eyes flicker down Jensen’s body says he gets Jensen’s meaning. “That can be rectified very quickly. He’s gotta learn some time.”

He tips his head with a leading smile and Jared makes quick work to move Harley from the bedroom and into the kitchen, locking a kiddie gate in the doorway. Jensen eyes the height of it compared to Harley’s size and asks, “That thing actually work?”

“It’s enough to distract him.” Jared smirks and walks backward through the hallway. “You still game?”

Jensen takes a deep breath and his smile is broad as he says, “Put me in, coach.”

Once they’re in the bedroom with the door closed, there’s loud rattling in the front of the apartment that Jensen figures is Harley getting free from the kitchen. Jared waves it off with an easy, “He’ll live.”

More unsafe sounding noises erupt and Jensen says, “I’m not sure your stuff will.”

“Let me worry about that later.”

He’ll readily state that their back-and-forth it satisfying, but he’s not disappointed when it’s put on hold for better things. Mostly Jared undressing and showing off more skin than most of L.A. “Oh, wow,” Jensen stutters when Jared’s back ripples with his movement to drag his pants down his legs. While he’s pleased with Jared’s initiative, he’s still shocked by it. “You just go for the gold, huh?”

Standing in a pair of tight Jockeys that do little to hide his interest, Jared smirks and puts his hands out in the air. “Go all in or don’t go at all.”

“Jesus,” Jensen laughs, suddenly wondering what kind of mess he’s getting himself into. A guy this good-looking, this funny, and this open and free is barely seducing him, yet drawing him right in. Jensen’s sure he’s about to dive right into the deep end.

Jared’s interested look is enough to set Jensen off. It’ll probably serve him for future jack-off sessions, and Christ, if that isn’t a great promise of things to come, Jensen doesn’t know what is.

“Not to complain,” Jared says slowly. “But I’m feeling a little underdressed here.”

“Alright, yeah, okay,” Jensen mumbles to himself, pulling his shirt off and his pants down in record time.

Jared’s already on the bed, and Jensen quickly crawls up and hovers over him. “I’d say I don’t normally do this, but-”

“It’s kinda late for that,” Jared smiles.

Jensen smiles right back. “That’s my thought.”

Jared doesn’t reply, only grabs onto Jensen’s neck and reels him in for their first kiss, a wet, searing, pushy thing that obliterates any past memories of kissing anyone, and Jensen can’t care. Especially not when Jared’s huge hands stroke down his back and over his hips.

The kiss lasts long enough to leave Jensen breathless, and then Jared turns them over to Jensen’s back and slips right down between his legs. He can’t complain because suddenly he’s surrounded by all of the wet heat of Jared’s mouth as he slinks down and squeezes the base of Jensen’s dick.

There are a million words zipping through Jensen’s brain as Jared slips up and down his dick, all slick with the intent to blow Jensen’s mind. It works, given how tight the suction is and how pure the heat of Jared’s mouth is, closing right around him.

Jensen’s restless on the mattress, bringing his knees up and willing them to not clamp around Jared’s head, and his hands slide over Jared’s hair, fingers winding through the long tendrils. He sits up a little to watch Jared go down, and uselessly guides him by the hair. He starts panting short directives to egg Jared on, but he doubts Jared needs it, what with him so eager to be so filthy and quick about it.

Before he can fathom how much time Jared’s been blowing him – or how little, really – Jensen feels his energy draw up from his toes, down from his brain, and settle low in his gut as he shallowly rolls his hips to Jared’s rhythm. Then he suddenly peaks, arching forward and tightening his grip in Jared’s hair, only faintly apologizing for it, because this is really one hell of a quick blow job.

Jared licks him over, clearing the mess of what he couldn’t swallow, and then grins before licking at the corner of his mouth.

“God damn,” Jensen breathes, dropping back to the mattress. He vaguely gestures towards Jared when he catches his breath. “Okay, you set a high bar, but I’ll give it my all.”

With a grin, Jared moves back over Jensen and kisses him soundly, all hard tongue and fast movements Jensen can barely keep up with in his altered state.

“Go all in,” Jared says with a low voice. Then his breath hitches when Jensen closes his hand around Jared’s dick and strokes smoothly. Jared’s already incredibly hard and long like the rest of him, and Jensen does his best to make it matter, especially after the way Jared just treated him.

It seems to do the trick, because Jared starts panting against Jensen’s mouth and hitching his hips into Jensen’s hand, and then Jared’s shuddering and moaning, coming between them.

Jared falls to the mattress beside Jensen, chest rising hard and fast as he struggles to catch some air.

Jensen thunks his head to the bed and turns to look at Jared. He’s tempted to say thank you, just for laughs, but he’s far too content with how this day has shaped up for him, considering where it started.

Yet, that makes him frown a little.

“Seriously? You’re disappointed?” Jared mumbles as he shifts to his side to look at Jensen.

“No, not that. Just … ” Jensen full-on frowns at the situation he’s bound to return to. Helene and Danneel either in full-on girls mode with manis and pedis and some emotionally hysterical romcom on the TV, or being dragged into a potentially damning conversation about how Danneel and Jensen aren’t taking enough care for themselves and setting themselves up for heartache with their arrangement. He’s pretty certain Helene wouldn’t play the dark card so soon after this last doctor’s visit, but it still turns his stomach a little.

“I wouldn’t normally ask, but,” Jensen says carefully. “There’s a delicate situation at my apartment and I’m not really up for heading back to it.”

“Delicate like?”

“My roommate’s mom is visiting. She’s a lovely woman, but an incredibly _involved_ mother. To us both,” Jensen tacks on with a sigh.

“It could have its upsides.”

“In just five seconds, she asked if I’m feeding myself properly.”

“Mothers are scary,” Jared agrees with a nod.

“Especially Helene Harris.”

Jared laughs and settles comfortably on his side of the bed. “You can stay, don’t worry about it.” He stretches an arm over his head and Jensen’s drawn to the twist of muscles across Jared’s ribcage as he moves. “We can make sure you eat to make Ms. Harris happy, and then do some more exercises to make each other happy.”

Jensen looks over and smiles, fully satisfied and pleasantly surprised at the turn of today’s events. He’s never been so happy to be plowed over on a city sidewalk in all his life.

 

  


 

He strolls back into the apartment in the early morning hours of the next day. Danneel’s in the kitchen starting coffee, though she’s thoroughly disheveled with bedhead and wrinkled pajamas. She silently slides a mug of coffee across the counter then eyes him, tired and nonplussed.

“Morning,” he mumbles as he settles on a stool on his side of the counter, though he’s sure a smile is working its way onto his face and negating the sleepiness he feels from the hours spent awake with Jared.

“And where were you?”

“Gettin’ into all kinds of trouble. How was mother-daughter night?”

“Great,” she replies shortly before drinking from her own mug. “She raided the cupboards and fridge for diet-appropriate foods.”

“Did you offer her your carrot shake.”

“She rather liked it. So you can bet that will reappear on the menu.” Danneel takes a long drink of coffee then releases an even longer sigh. “Then she slept in your room, so I guess that’s the upside to you being gone.”

He quietly moans. “She cleaned it, didn’t she?”

Danneel shrugs. “I can’t control the woman after sundown.”

“Jensen!” Helene calls as she joins them at the counter. “Good, you’re here. Now I can make breakfast.”

“Can I nap first?” he asks, giving her a tired smile.

She pinches his cheek and grins. “You’re so cute when you’re tired and cranky.”

Danneel shoots him a smug grin and he rolls his eyes as her mother pulls things together in the kitchen. “Danni and I were talking, and we’re thinking you both need to get onto this new diet. Make sure your sperm is nice and strong.”

Jensen drops his head to his hand, shoving the heel of his palm into his eye. More than a year ago, he’d argued with Danneel over telling her mom about what they were doing, but Danneel insisted it was impossible to keep this kind of information from her. Especially since she’d have to explain the whole scenario when she actually became pregnant.

“See what you missed?” Danneel whispers, patting his arm.

Helene gets to work at the stove with bacon sizzling and pancakes rising. Jensen can’t complain too much when she feeds them well, he supposes. “So, we have one to two months until Danneel’s body shifts back into regular ovulation,” she announces as she flips pancakes on the griddle. “And according to the Google, she should also start hormone treatments again to up her egg count.”

 _The Google_ Jensen mouths at Danneel, who just shakes her head to keep him further silent.

A plate of golden flapjacks and fresh bacon appear in front of Jensen and he smiles lazily. “Helene, you are an angel.”

“And until then, you’re both gonna drink down Nature’s goodness.” She grins and pushes a glass of Danneel’s orange smoothie towards him.

Jensen instantly frowns and gets to work on the hot food on his plate.

 

  


 

A week later, Jensen escorts Danneel to her doctor’s appointment over lunch to discuss her diet and the game plan to go for round six of fertilization. Jensen sits beside her with his hands clamped around one of hers as she taps her free fingers at edge of the doctor’s desk and asks any number of questions that have come up over the year and a half of this matter. She’s double-checking everything, dotting Is and crossing Ts. He backs up some of her concerns, but mostly lets her lead the conversation and get comfortable with all the doctor’s answers to smooth over her worries.

“But the fertilization is okay? That’s not the problem?” she asks slowly.

Dr. Stewart, a salt-and-pepper-haired man in his fifties with a smooth, comfortable demeanor, has been with them through all the steps, ticking off every suggestion with a smile and making directives more like suggestions to lead them in the right direction. Even if it weren’t for his friendly manner, the pictures tacked to the cork boards behind his desk speak volumes to his capabilities; dozens of healthy, smiling babies are proof that he knows what he’s doing.

As the doctor drags his pen down her chart, Danneel tacks on, “I mean, it’s not the eggs?”

“There have been times where that was a concern,” Dr. Stewart says. “But your levels have been within reason lately.”

Danneel straightens her shoulders. She still sounds worried, but it’s not as bad as times before. “Then what is it?”

Jensen squeezes her hand. “Hey, it’s just science, all that tricky stuff having to do its job.”

“But what if our science isn’t doing its job?” she asks Jensen.

“Danneel?” Doctor Stewart asks, “What is it specifically that you’re worried about?”

She takes a deep breath. “I’ve been following all the rules, eating well, exercising within reason, and lowering my stress levels.”

“And?”

Her eyes flicker to Jensen, and he sits up straight with a slightly shocked, mostly defensive look. “What’re you saying?” Jensen asks tightly.

She lets out a sad smile. “What if it’s you?”

“Oh, no, it’s not,” he laughs hard.

Quietly, she argues, “We’re not following the rules together, Jensen.”

“Is this about the carrot milkshake? That thing is rancid.”

“No, not that-”

“Because my guys are healthy, Danneel,” he insists, bitter and even more defensive. “Sweet potatoes and kale aren’t gonna make them swim better. They’re healthy and aplenty, trust me on that one.”

Dr. Stewart chuckles and interrupts them. “Jensen’s levels are fine. We’re very happy with him.”

“See!” Jensen smiles tightly. “They’re happy with my guys.”

“And Danneel, your eggs are good, and also many,” the doctor says with a smile. “We’re really just waiting for one li’l guy to hang on.”

Jensen remembers during their initial appointments, Danneel would insist she wanted a girl. This far down the line, they just want ten toes and ten fingers. When she frowns and looks down to their hands together and Jensen’s a little worried for her.

“So, it’s my body?” she asks quietly. “It doesn’t want to take to it?”

The doctor leans forward, folding his hands over her file. “Danneel, Jensen, these things are so particular, you just never know what’s really going on when it’s not working right away. It could be as innocent as a full moon or the tides pulling in.”

“When’s the next quarter moon?” she asks.

“I think he was kidding,” Jensen points out gently.

“I was kidding,” Dr. Stewart agrees with a warm smile. “You two just keep doing what you’re doing, but with a little less worry, and we’re gonna make you two parents. Good swimmers or not.”

Jensen starts to argue, but Dr. Stewart winks at him, and he laughs to himself. “Okay, so a little more positive thinking, for us both,” Jensen says firmly, smiling at Danneel.

“Okay, positive thinking,” Danneel nods in agreement.

 

  


 

The one thing Jensen has always admired in Danneel is her dedication to stick to her plans. It’s wavered a bit over the past two years, but she’s resilient and bounces back, and always with a smile. Which means her promise to conduct more positive thinking is almost too much for him to take. She walks around the apartment with an overly sunny smile, sticks post-its with life affirmations to every surface, and twists any complaint into an opportunity.

When the vacuum dies mid-cleaning, she beams at him. “This is your chance to learn how it works. We can work together to fix it right up! We’ll strengthen your handyman skills.”

Three days later, he realizes there’s a tear in his favorite jeans from where they snagged in the dryer, and she suggests he cut them off at the knees and use them as shorts when summer comes.

And when the power goes out for an entire weekend, she insists they spend more time outside, even though it’s pouring, and there’s not a flash of electricity in a four-block radius.

Instead of fighting her on these matters, he smiles back with a “Yes, honey,” and goes as far into her ideas as he can get without swearing. The minute one curse slips free, he’s done, and looks into buying a new vacuum, plans a spring cleaning of his closet and shopping trip to replace anything too worn out, and he calls Jared when he can’t stand the darkness of their apartment any longer.

Even when he’d been adverse to the weekend storm, he’s not too disappointed to get a little wet as he makes his way over to Jared’s apartment by a bus transfer and a two-block walk to his building.

“So, the mom’s back?” Jared asks with a smile as he lets Jensen into his living room.

“No, thankfully,” he laughs. “The electricity’s out, and I was getting stir crazy.”

“If you guys don’t have power, Danneel could’ve come, too. It’s gotta be pretty stuffy and lonely.”

Jensen leans against the doorway to the kitchen, watching Jared bend into the fridge to grab cans of pop. This is _much_ better than whatever he and Danneel would be doing all weekend. “I actually think she could use some time to herself. She’s got a tall stack of Harlequins to get her through the night.” He doesn’t bother adding that sometimes she’ll read them aloud to mock together or give him a high-scale recount of the damsel in distress being saved by the Fabio look-a-like.

Suddenly, he feels bad for leaving her back at the apartment – even when she was positive it was okay that he got out – and he frowns.

“Everything okay?” Jared asks, standing right in front of him and handing him a can.

“Yeah, she just … she hasn’t been feeling well lately.” To Jared’s sad look, Jensen smiles lightly. “But she’s on the mend. She’s got a positive outlook, and she could probably use a quiet night in.”

“Is it something serious?”

This is only the third time he’s facing Jared; he’s not ready to tell him what they’re doing. Besides, this is just something fun for the meantime, Jensen’s own stress relief, and it doesn’t need to be boggled down with that kind of conversation. Even when he doesn’t consider his interest in Jared anything serious, Jensen’s not up for scaring him off just yet.

“She’ll be fine,” Jensen smiles. To change the subject, Jensen glances around and realizes it’s incredibly quiet. “Where’s Harley?”

“Old coot’s hiding in the bathtub. He hates thunder.”

“All bark and no bite?”

“You bet,” Jared nods.

In no time, they settle on the couch to watch whatever they can find on TV, but it doesn’t last long. Jared is a warm line at Jensen’s side. He can’t focus on the low-grade crime noir unfolding on screen because he’s thinking too much about the guy beside him.

He thinks back on his last time in this apartment and how little they left the bedroom, and more importantly how good it all was. So when Jared leans into him to point out that the detective should know better than to enter an empty warehouse without backup, Jensen ignores the complaint and pushes him down to the couch and starts kissing.

Jared mumbles about the movie, but it’s half-hearted because he’s kissing back with his hands sliding under Jensen’s shirt and tugging him in tight.

They rut against each other, hips digging just right, and make out for what feels like hours. After a while, the TV quiets down through the movie’s credits and there’s a soft patter of rain on the windows being drowned out by their harsh breathing and slick lips and tongues moving in, out, and all around.

“Move to the bedroom?” Jared mumbles between kisses.

Jensen palms Jared through his jeans, smirking when Jared’s breath catches and his hips jump into the motion. “Good right here.”

“I’ve got … stuff … in there.”

He rises a little and stares at Jared, eyes combing over his face and logging his small, flirty smile. Everything but Jared’s intent gaze and the potential for more than just hands and mouths leaves him, and he slowly nods. “That is a great idea.”

They kiss and paw at one another on the way to bed, and soon enough they’re completely naked and Jared’s slicking up a finger to push into Jensen. He keens and rocks down onto Jared’s hand, especially when there are then two fingers and Jared’s mouth roams over his chest, all clever tongue and soft lips.

Once Jared slides in, it’s a slow rock of their bodies together, so unlike the frantic mess they were last week. Jensen grabs at Jared’s shoulders and back, pulling him tight to his chest, and leaves wet kisses along Jared’s neck and jaw. It draws on for longer than Jensen can comprehend, but when he feels his orgasm building, it’s a quick thing he can’t slow down. He strokes himself off and softly bites at Jared’s ear when he comes with a long, satisfied groan. A minute later, Jared’s just shallowly sliding in and out, and he kisses Jensen hard as he breaks.

When they’re back to their senses, Jensen suggests a drink to clear his dry throat, and Jared mentions dinner, so he hangs around for a while longer.

 

  


 

It’s late when he gets home, but there’s the soft light of a candle burning on Danneel’s bedside table. She’s sitting up in bed with a weathered paperback in her hands, blinking at him in the doorway then smirking when he comes inside. “Hey, you. Did you have a good field trip?”

“I did. How was you-time?”

She waves the book as he lies down next to her. “Stefano is currently rigging the masts and Evangeline is admiring the waves of the lonely ocean as much as the waves of his butterscotch mane.”

Jensen chuckles and settles in with his chin at her shoulder so he can read a few lines of the trashy novel. “Has she overcome her hatred for his rough-and-tumble lifestyle to confess her undying love yet?”

“Maybe in another twenty pages. But they did just sleep by bonfire then outrun the pirates on shore. Now they’re headed east for hidden treasure.”

“Ten bucks says he uses it to buy a suit and win her over in the end.”

She laughs and slides a little lower in bed so they can rest comfortably. Then she sniffs and glances at him. “You smell like man.”

“Well, thank you,” he smirks.

“Like a real man,” she clarifies.

He’s ready to laugh, but he also suddenly feels guilty and unsure of how she’d take to the idea that he’s been escaping the apartment to see Jared, even though it’s only been twice now. His eyes flip to hers then back down to the book. “I was hanging out.”

“With who?”

“People.

Danneel sets the book face down in her lap and glares at him. “Tell me, Ackles.”

After all the years they’ve been together, he’s certain he can’t hide much from her, but he’s still not willing to say there’s anything really going between he and Jared beyond a few good orgasms. “You told me to find myself some drama, so I’m getting up to that.”

“And who is this mystery man?” she asks with a leading tone.

“Just a guy.”

She gets a twisted smile and raises an eyebrow. “Is this the guy you ran to when my mom was here?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing,” he insists and picks the book up so they can get to that.

“Is it any good?” Danneel asks with a glint in her eye.

“It is a very healthy hook-up,” he nods.

She hums and takes the book back, propping it up for them both to see. “Well, at least you’re finally being healthy.”

“So, are they sailing by moonlight?” he asks to get away from the conversation.

Smiling, she lets it go. “Oh, you betcha.”

 

  


 

Over the course of the next month, Danneel ups her yoga classes at the gym to strengthen her core and find peace within, concocts a handful of other vitamin-rich juices, and goes in to Dr. Stewart for regular hormone shots.

Jensen chokes on every shake and decidedly keeps quiet about how his stomach rebels each time. He sits beside her at every appointment with his same soft support, and also stays silent on the fact that he sees Jared again, more often than he had ever planned in fact.

He also continues to evade most conversation about Danneel when he’s with Jared (and vice versa) so when Jared texts him one morning to meet for lunch, he has to turn him down for meeting Danneel at Dr. Stewart’s, but doesn’t say why. It happens a few more times during the week, and Jensen feels guilt nag at him for it, but he can’t imagine telling Jared that he and Danneel are trying to have a baby would lead to anything but being cut off from their good times together.

Though there are moments where he gets close to letting the cat out of the bag, like when he’s got a day to himself and invites Jared over. He’s sifting through the cupboards to find them something to eat while watching the game, but there’s nothing outside of organic and whole grain foods thanks to Helene’s impromptu visit the day before.

“She cleared out all my Cheetohs, Oreos, and pizza rolls,” Jensen groans. “What’s a guy supposed to eat?”

Jared laughs and waves a delivery menu before dropping it onto the counter towards the living room. “We could just order a pizza?”

“No,” Jensen sighs. “Danneel’ll probably smell it.”

“Man, they’ve got you on a tight leash, huh?”

Jensen moves to the fridge, not finding anything better. “It’s for her diet. I can’t complain.”

“Much,” Jared says with a smile. “Is she still making you carotene shakes?”

He pulls a glass canister out of the fridge and motions it towards Jared. It’s all green with dark spots peppered throughout. “Yesterday Helene made alien juice. Celery, melon, and broccoli.” Jensen shivers at the sick memory of the taste and _texture_ of all those little broccoli bits. He can’t stand to look at the canister any longer, puts it back inside, and closes the door. “I didn’t even know broccoli could be juiced.”

“It’s all that newfangled science. They can pull a nut from a piece of tree bark.”

“What?” Jensen laughs high, and keeps on chuckling when Jared moves in with a grin and kisses him. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy about you.”

“And corny.”

Jared nods and squeezes at Jensen’s side. “It’s been said.”

Jensen leans against the fridge and smiles. “We should run out for some snacks and something to drink.”

Leaning down, Jared nips at Jensen’s jaw. “I can think of something to snack on.”

The front door whips open and slams shut, followed be the sound of things being dumped to the floor. Jensen nudges Jared away and feels his nerves flare and guilt rise at Danneel being home early.

“Jensen!” she yells madly.

“What’s wrong?” he asks as he hurries out of the kitchen. Her hair’s pushed messily off her face like she’s been pulling and picking through it and her face is all red with anger. “I thought you were out with Katie?”

“I was, and she invited Steph. You know how much I hate Steph.”

He knows there are times Danneel’s coworkers can be a bit much, but Katie has been a good friend to Danneel for the last few years. Steph is more of an acquaintance that Danneel jokes about behind closed doors, yet is mostly too kind of her own good.

“God,” she sighs loudly and angrily. “She just kept going on and on about her daughter and how she’s number one in soccer and is being elevated to third grade math. And she’s reading _Great Expectations_ for the third time.” Her voice keeps rising to higher levels of manic ire. “Hemmingway, Jensen! The girl is reading Hemmingway!”

“Okay,” Jensen says as evenly as possible, dropping his hands down in a calming motion. “So Steph has a Mensa kid on her hands.”

“She read it three times!” she nearly cries. Jensen’s about to try more rational words, but she looks sharply to his right and points with an even sharper tone. “Who is this?”

“Uh,” Jensen breathes out. “This is Jared.”

“Jared? Jared, who?”

Oh Christ, Jensen’s defenses are faltering and now he’s just filled with horror for how much further Danneel’s going to carry her rage. Danneel might lash him – figuratively and literally – right before Jared’s very eyes, and this is the worst possible way to introduce the two. Not that he ever planned to do such a thing, but this is a fresh nightmare he’s got on his hands.

She snatches up the pizza menu on the counter and flaps it in the air. “Oh my God, you were going to get pizza? You can’t eat this crap, Jensen! What are you doing to me?!”

“Danneel, look-”

“No, Jensen!” she finally cries out, tears spilling down her face. “You can’t have pizza! There are rules, and none of them include ordering greasy cheese buckets, letting Steph have amazing kids, or sleeping with Jared!”

“Oh my God, Danneel!” he shouts at her, but he can hear the worry slip into his voice. “What is wrong with you?”

Her hands fly to her face and her eyes go wide in shock. He’d probably laugh at her for the way she looks, but this sudden change is downright scary. “What is wrong with me?” she shrieks. “What is happening? Jensen, what am I doing?”

He carefully closes the space between them and rubs at her shoulders. “Honey, you’ve gotta calm down.”

“Oh my God, it’s the hormones,” she whimpers, still stunned by her behavior. “I can’t even – how can I?”

Jensen pulls her in, holding tight around her shoulders and shushing her through the crying as he tries like hell not to smile.

“I am a wretched human being,” she sobs, sniffling into his shirt. “I’m not fit to live. I can’t be a mother.”

He runs his hands down her hair and back, humming against her temple to calm her. They’ve seen outbreaks of emotion at inopportune times, but it’s never been like _this_ , and now he’s just going for damage control to bring her back to sanity.

Jensen’s distracted by a soft creak in the kitchen and his stomach turns at the thought that Jared’s been watching this whole episode. He shoots him a shaky smile. Jared’s eyes are wide and his shoulders high and tense as he stares at Jensen, and Jensen gives him a guilty look, mouthing _I’m sorry_. Jared waves it off, but it seems like he’s still incredibly awkward witnessing the incident.

He puts his palm up to ask for five minutes, Jared nodding in understanding, then he steers Danneel to the bathroom, murmuring to her that she’s okay, and they’re going to take care of this.

She drops onto the closed toilet seat as he starts the bath water. Her crying has subsided to soft hiccups, and he grabs her hand tightly as he tests the water. When warm, he plugs the drain, shakes out some of her lavender bath salts, and mixes it a little with his free hand. He sits at the edge of the tub and pulls both of her hands into his.

“He’s really cute,” she says, lacking any real emotion, yet like she’s trying. He gives her a long look and she smiles meekly. “You haven’t brought anyone around in a while.”

He thumbs over her knuckles. “I thought you were gone for the day.”

“I ruined everything didn’t I? What a shitty first impression.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m more worried about you.” She frowns and he tugs on her hands for her attention. “What’s going on in your head?”

“It’s the hormones,” she replies with a solid nod. “Nothing else. I’m so sorry for … all that.”

“Dan?”

She looks down at their hands and flicks her fingers out before holding his hands tightly. “Steph’s pregnant again, and they weren’t even trying. _Happy surprise_ , she says. And suddenly she and Katie are talking about shopping for blue bears and baseball mitts.”

“I thought you wanted a girl anyway?” he asks with a small smile.

“I just want something,” she admits quietly.

“It’s gonna happen, Dan. Positive thinking, remember?”

She snorts. “Yeah, and low stress.”

“Right,” Jensen nods and shuts off the water when the tub is filled high enough. “Which means you’re going to get in this bath and relax. And you’re going to will your mind and body as one.” Her eyebrows go up high and he smiles encouragingly. “Positive thinking.”

Danneel nods and squeezes his hands again. “I’m sorry for blowing up in front of Jared.”

“It’s okay,” he says, even though he’s not sure it is.

“Is he the guy you’ve been seeing?” He shrugs a little and her nose scrunches up in thought. “You like him?”

There’s the want to enthusiastically answer _YES!_ , but he can’t manage to say it. Not to her, and not right now. “It’s fun,” he allows. “You gonna be okay?”

She breathes deeply and lets it out through her nose as she looks at the bath, now a light purple tint. “I’ll be okay. I’ve got a first class bath waiting for me.”

“You want me to hang around?”

“No, you go on with Jared. I think I need to decompress.”

“Okay,” he murmurs. He leans forward and kisses her forehead, stroking her hair as he stays there for a few seconds.

She quietly thanks him on his way out, and after Jensen closes the door, he turns to find Jared at the end of the hallway.

“Is she okay?” Jared whispers.

He meets Jared near the kitchen and nods. “Yeah. Let’s go out for the game.”

Jared nods and follows silently, only bringing up the incident when they’re settled at a nearby sports bar and both have beers coming. “I don’t know where to start,” Jared admits quietly.

While he’s sure he owes Jared a real explanation, he can’t come up with the right words or the confidence that this won’t wreck what he and Jared are doing. “She’s having some … women’s issues. Hence the hormones and her breakdown.”

Slowly, Jared shakes his head and glances across the half-filled bar rumbling with football on widescreen TVs. “She said there are rules, about sleeping with me.”

Jensen stalls for the waitress bringing them pints of beer and taking their order. They each take a long drink, and Jensen clears his throat. “She’s just, she’s having a hard time with this. There are a lot of ups and downs, and we’ve been …” He drifts off, fighting the right explanation without giving away the whole situation. “We’re extremely close. We’ve known each other since damn near day one of college and we go through everything together. I think it’s just a lot for her to deal with right now.”

“What’s a lot?” Jared asks hesitantly.

Jensen takes another sip and clears his throat. “Just the health stuff. Her emotions and mood swings.”

“What about us?”

Jensen looks right into Jared’s eyes and though he looks uncertain and sad, Jensen softly smiles at him because he can’t not when Jared is so earnest and beautiful.

Jared begins to smile, too, then looks to the table for a few seconds, as if he’s tempering his reaction right now. “But you and her –”

“We’re not together,” Jensen insists, like a written transcript he’s had to repeat over the years when friends and family side-eye them. “Me and Danneel, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“So, it’s okay? That we’re like, whatever?” Jared asks, waving a hand between them.

“Yeah, Jared, it’s okay” Jensen murmurs, even if he’s not sure it’s true. He wants it to be.

Jared sighs with a shaky laugh. “God, I felt like I walked into a nightmare where you’re in the closet and your wife found us.”

Jensen laughs a little, too, glad to see Jared smiling and accepting the little bit of explanation he’s feeding him. “No, not at all. It’s like how people have work spouses? We’re like life spouses,” he jokes then frowns. “Or, well, you know what I mean.”

“I think I do,” Jared smiles. He reaches across the table and rests his hand lightly over Jensen’s. “It’s pretty admirable that you two are that close, especially when she’s like that. You’re starting to put my hero complex to shame.”

He turns his hand over so their palms are warm and sliding together. His chest goes tight with the soft smile Jared’s aiming at him and the realization that Jared is incredibly understanding.

They continue to gently smile at one another, and for the first time since Jensen and Danneel ever discussed having a baby, he’s wishing things were different.

 

  


 

The next week, he’s back to the grind of work and Danneel’s appointments. She’s reserved when they go in for egg retrieval, but there’s an undercurrent of hope when they part so Danneel can go through the process. While he’s in the waiting room, Jared texts, asking about meeting after work for dinner.

He closes his eyes and holds his breath. It’s been two months of them hanging out and it’s become more than just a quick break from doctor’s appointments and Danneel’s stress. Jensen knows this, and he also knows it’s unfair to Jared to not tell him what’s going on. All the same, he’s feeling the weight of it on his shoulders when he’s with Danneel and doesn’t share a single thing about Jared aside from vaguely answering her curious questions.

Beyond the guilt that he hardly sees Jared during the week no matter how often it’s suggested, there’s the fact that he can’t imagine leaving Danneel alone today. She’ll be woozy from the twilight anesthesia and need a bit of attention, not to mention company.

Jensen steps out to the hallway and calls Jared, catching him on his lunch break. He leans against the wall and stares down at his shoes, tipping the toe against the shiny white tile that covers every hallway of the outpatient center. Jensen’s seen it enough to get the same feeling when he looks at it: anticipation.

“Hey, how’s it going?” Jared asks happily.

“It’s going. How about you? What’re you up?”

“Out grabbing lunch. Hopefully I won’t have to stop and save any strangers from tripping on a crack in the sidewalk. I’m pretty hungry.”

Jensen smiles a little. “You’re always hungry.”

“Very true,” he laughs. “How about you? What’re you doing for lunch?”

“I have an appointment, so I’ll probably just grab something on the way out.” It’s not a total lie, though he’s beginning to recognize guilt all the same for omitting the truth these days.

“So you do go out during the week? I was beginning to think you were a vampire or something.”

Jensen snorts. “I’m pretty sure vampires are adverse to sun, not Monday through Friday.”

“You could have mutated.”

“We met on a Wednesday,” he points out.

“Alright, I’ll allow it,” Jared says airily. “So, what’re you planning for lunch?”

Jensen tips his head back to the wall and closes his eyes against the fluorescent glare above. “Maybe a sandwich? I haven’t thought that far along.”

“What kind? I haven’t decided what I want and maybe you can come up with something I can top.”

He chuckles to himself and nods. “Not sure. Probably just whatever’s on special.”

“Man, that’s the sucker’s way out of good decision making. I’m embarrassed to be with you.”

Jensen wants to laugh, so much he wants to continue on with a jab, but his stomach twists at Jared saying they’re together. “Yeah, I know,” he mumbles. “I’m awful.”

“Though I’m not sure what it says about me.”

“That you’re even more despicable?”

“You are so _harsh_ ,” Jared says with a shocked laugh. “I’m gonna bet it’s the hunger pains. You better eat soon.”

“Yeah, I’ll get to working on that,” he snips back.

“Mr. Ackles?” Judith, a blue-scrubbed female assistant, calls from the office he’d been in earlier. “She’s ready.”

He smiles and waves at the woman and then quickly apologizes to Jared for having to go.

“Gimme a call later and we’ll get together,” Jared insists.

“I might be stuck a little late, but I’ll give you a call,” he promises.

Back in the office, Jensen knocks on the exam room’s closed door. “You decent?”

“Jensen?” Danneel slowly asks from inside.

He opens the door and finds her dazed and struggling to yank at the neck of her gown. “Hey, not just yet, you tease,” he jokes as he shuts the door . He grabs her clothes from a nearby chair and sets it in her lap as he passes a glance over her.

She keeps blinking and starts to sway a little. “I’m like Humpty Dumpty,” she mumbles. “But no one put me back together again.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” he insists with a warm smile.

As he unclasps the back of the gown, she grunts. “Don’t go sneaking peeks now, Ackles.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you wish you were my type.”

“I do,” she nods tiredly. She closes her eyes as he helps her into a zip-up, hooded sweatshirt. “Think of all the time and money we could’ve saved.” He chuckles as she attempts to move her legs so he can get a pair of workout pants up her legs. “And the pain. I could’ve been prodded in a much more satisfying manner.”

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t be able to witness you like this. You hopped up on drugs is the highlight of my week.”

“You are awful.”

“I know,” he replies, echoing what he and Jared had joked about just five minutes ago. Thinking of Jared while with her like this makes him frown.

Danneel wobbles as she stands and he holds her upright, but he’s surprised when she falls against him, arms loose around his waist. “You’re not awful. You’re wonderful.” She kisses his chest where her head rests and squeezes as well as she can. “I can’t wait to see you be a father.”

He pulls back and softly strokes over her cheek, slipping hair behind her ear. “And you’re gonna be a great mom, Miss Harris.”

Her smile is lazy and her eyes are drooping, but he can’t help the warm feeling he gets as he imagines that this time it’s going to happen.

 

  


 

They take their time stopping at the pharmacy for minor pain medication, the video store for a few movies, and then getting home to put Danneel into bed to sleep off the anesthesia.

After they’ve both changed, he rounds up a glass of water, a few magazines, the remote to Danneel’s TV, and a box of tissues at her bedside table. They’ve been through this enough times to predict that Danneel will likely nap on and off for a few hours, sprinkling in some light gossip reading and random TV, which usually turns into some Hallmark or Lifetime movie followed by a bout of hormonal crying.

Jensen’s ready to settle in with her, but there’s steady knocking at the front door. He’s surprised to open it to Helene on the other side.

“Hi there, Papa,” she gushes and hugs him unbearably tight.

He gasps at her hold. “Horse before the cart, Helene.”

When she pulls back, she’s smiling warmly and pats her heart. “I’ve got a good feeling about this one.” Then she pinches his side, making him flinch away, and tsks happily. “Getting a little weight on you. I’m happy to see it.”

He frowns as she walks into the apartment and he’s wracking his brain for any memory that Danneel told him her mother would be stopping by.

Helene must read the confusion because she rests her purse on an arm chair and gives him a knowing look before walking towards Danneel’s room. “I figured she could use a li’l maternal touch.”

“She’s down to nap now, so maybe we should go back to the living room,” he whispers.

With surprising fondness, Helene pats his cheek. “Jensen, honey, sometimes a daughter needs more than just a nap.”

“But I think maybe-”

“Call it motherly intuition,” she interrupts before shooing him away. She enters Danneel’s room and closes the door to stop further conversation.

He scratches at the side of his head and feels strange to be cut off from this. He absolutely understands that beyond all of their ribbing about Helene, Danneel adores her mother and cherishes the time and love she showers her with. But this whole experience has been Danneel and Jensen together through it all, and to be excluded right now is a bit unnerving.

Besides, he feels strange with the two women holed up in Danneel’s room while he just hangs out. He’d had the whole afternoon and evening mapped out for he and Danneel to relax with trashy movies and more Harlequin readings, but now, he’s clueless about what to do with himself.

 

  


 

“It lives,” he hears before he sees Jared approach.

He’d wasted an hour or so window shopping, including a long trip inside a baby shop where he’d read more witty bibs than he’d like to admit. As the afternoon slid towards evening, he bit the bullet, bused it over to Jared’s, and has been sitting on his front stoop to the point of his ass going numb on the hard cement.

“I took an antidote so I could manage to be out on a Tuesday,” he says sagely.

Jared grins as he leans down. “The things you do for me.” He kisses Jensen soundly, but frowns when he pulls back. “Everything okay?”

Jensen nods. “Yeah, things are good. Though I heard Harley going nuts about twenty minutes ago, so I’m thinking he might’ve ripped up your living room.”

“He was probably distracted by a bird. Or smelled you.”

He follows Jared inside and upstairs, groaning just for good measure. “Did you forget the part where I’m sacrificing my secret weekday cover to see you? You could be a little nicer.”

“How about if I promise to feed you?”

“That has the possibility of going badly,” Jensen quips.

“How about if I do other bad things to you?” Jared asks as he strokes his hand over the small of Jensen’s back and down to his ass.

“I’m up for negotiating such things.”

Jared laughs as he nudges Jensen inside his apartment. “You are too easy.”

Once Jared’s changed, they take a walk around the neighborhood to let Harley stretch his legs and race through a nearby park. When Harley’s burned enough energy, they head back, picking up Chinese take-out and settling on the couch to eat and talk.

It’s as easy as it’s been at their best, and Jensen only barely remembers why he’d left his apartment in the first place. He does begin to wonder why he hadn’t bothered meeting Jared for dinner before, but the concern is erased when he realizes how comfortable, how normal it feels.

Simple is more like it, because when Jared’s hand rests at the back of Jensen’s head and his fingers stroke aimlessly, Jensen ignores the primetime drama on screen and smiles at him. Jared moves in to kiss slowly and their tongues tangle together like all the times before. And as always, they move onto the bedroom and burn off dinner together.

After, Jensen lies on his side with Jared beside him on his stomach. With soft fingers, he traces small patterns over the curve of Jared’s back, smiling as Jared hums at the touch.

“You staying the night?” Jared murmurs.

He keeps his eyes to his hand palming Jared’s shoulder blade. “I should probably go soon.” Jared hums and Jensen adds, “Gotta work tomorrow.”

Jared slips close and rings his arm around Jensen’s shoulder to pull him in. “One of these days I’m gonna convince you to actually sleep in my bed.”

“I need to check on Danneel,” he insists softly.

“How is she?”

Jensen stops with guilt and instead goes for a joke. “Her mom showed up this afternoon, so probably dying for someone to deflect the attention.”

Jared chuckles. “She springs herself on you guys a lot.”

“It’s not so bad. Danneel appreciates the support.”

“Is she doing okay now?”

Jensen smirks. “No more rage, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“That’s good news,” he nods and Jensen does, too. “How much more time do we have before you have to bail on our good night?”

He glances over Jared’s shoulder to the clock on the nightstand. It’s near ten; he thinks through time for walking and buses and figures he should leave soon. “Maybe twenty.”

“Just enough, I’d say,” Jared grins as he slips his hand between them and palms Jensen’s dick.

“Oh,” Jensen chuckles with surprise. “You are distracting.”

Jared tugs at him with a tight grip and twists his wrist just right. “In a good way?”

“In a very good way,” he responds, shifting to get his hand between them and return the favor.

They stroke each other together, kissing messily in between low moans. Jensen nudges Jared’s out of the way and wraps his hand around them both then looks down to watch how his fingers slips over their heads together and how Jared rolls into it. The feel of them in his hand and the hard press of Jared’s dick against his is more than enough to get him off in due time, and they come seconds apart.

“That’s definitely a good way,” Jared murmurs against his lips, and Jensen’s pretty apt to agree.

 

  


 

Thursday night, Jensen’s only half asleep, but full of worry for the next day. They’re going in for Danneel’s implant and from there, they’ll wait and cross their fingers that her body takes the egg and keeps it. He knows the night is passing, but he’s also completely aware that he’s not staying asleep for longer than twenty or thirty minutes at time. Looking at the clock is more punishment than knowledge at this point.

He turns towards the wall and shucks his pillows into a different arrangement then wills his brain to chill out.

He’s just about to sleep, he can feel the wave of rest coming over him, when the mattress bends and there’s a weight behind him.

“What’s wrong?” he mumbles thickly.

Danneel slides against his back and rings her arm over his waist, grabbing his hand where it rests within the sheets. “Nothing.”

“Did you watch The Grudge again?”

“That was one time.”

“Two times,” he corrects, remembering when they’d found it on replay a few years ago and she fought to keep her eyes closed without seeing the creepy girl’s eyes.

“Okay, two times,” she relents. He’s about to again ask what’s wrong when she quickly says, “Jen, I’ve been thinking.”

He pushes his head into the pillows, fighting for a more comfortable position. “And now we’re all in trouble.”

“If it doesn’t work tomorrow-”

“It will,” he insists.

“If it doesn’t,” she repeats with more force to her voice. Then she presses her face to his shoulder and the rest of her words are muffled. “I don’t think we should try anymore.”

Jensen turns immediately, pausing on his back and staring at her. In the pale light coming in through his bedroom window, he can see enough to tell that she’s looking right at him, appearing completely convinced and lacking any real emotion other than something akin to guilt. “What’re you talking about?”

She shifts back to let him fully face her and she sadly smiles. “I’m tired, Jensen.”

“Yeah, ‘cause it’s like four in the morning.”

“I’m tired of doing this,” she sighs. “Tired of the procedures and the ups and downs. I’m tired of dragging you through it.”

“I don’t – you’re not dragging me through it.”

Her eyes roam his face, like she’s working out her words.

“Danneel, you’re not,” he asserts.

“You like Jared,” she says more than asks.

Instead of confirming it, he says, “Dan, it’s the middle of the night. Why are we talking about this now?”

She takes a deep breath and her brow furrows and mouth twists. “You like Jared. You’ve been spending a lot of time with him, and you like him. “

“That has nothing to do with us here.”

“It has _everything_ to do with us,” she pushes on. Her voice takes on a soft yet emotional tone and he can’t help but listen to her go on. “We agreed on this because we’re getting older and we’ve had only each other for so long. We’re all we have, and it’s easy and comfortable. And you just went along with me because I asked, I know that.”

Jensen moves closer and sets his hand at her shoulder, squeezing hard. “I didn’t say yes just because you asked. I want a kid, too, Dan. And we’ll be doing this together.”

She rests her palm over his heart and she shoots him the sad smile that cuts right to his gut. “But you deserve more than all this. You deserve to be happy, and to be with Jared.”

“Jared and I are … it’s only been a few months. It’s nothing,” he argues, even while his heart twists at the lie.

“I know you, Ackles,” she smirks, but it feels empty in the middle of this conversation. “I know when you like someone, and you _really_ like Jared. And I’m happy for you, I really am. But we also can’t go forward if this happens with you and Jared making it work, too. And I can’t ask you to sacrifice that if this doesn’t happen.”

It stings to hear her say it, no matter how aware he’s been of that fact this whole time. “You – and this – is much more than anything Jared or I could have.”

Her fingers twist in his shirt. “You don’t know that. You don’t know until you try.”

His eyes comb over her face and he can’t fathom a decent response outside of _no_ , but that will get them nowhere. For nearly two years, he and Danneel have been focused on nothing but trying to get pregnant, with all the crammed doctor’s appointments, hormone treatments and their side effects, and the hopeful procedures brought down with sad news. He has no clue what he would do with himself if he suddenly didn’t have Danneel and this whole arrangement to deal with.

“Just make one more promise for me? Try with Jared if you can?”

Jensen can’t lie enough to say he wouldn’t want an opportunity to keep Jared around and see where it goes. And even while he’s ready to argue more with her, he doesn’t want to go around in circles on the matter. He pulls her in closer and rests his face in her hair. “We’ll see what happens.”

 

  


 

They hardly sleep, but Danneel is surprisingly calm where she’s usually been anxious with worry or excitement. Jensen appreciates not having to soothe her, but it’s strange all the same. He remains quiet except when she speaks, and then he’s foggy and slow to respond.

He just follows her determined direction when they head to Dr. Stewart’s, and he’s so fixed on trailing her that he can’t comprehend the kind voice or hand at his shoulder. He stares at Danneel but she’s looking to his side, and when he turns, Jared’s standing there smiling at them both.

“Jared,” Jensen mumbles. “What’re you doing here?”

“I’m heading into work early,” he says, pointing down the street. “What’re you guys up to?”

Jensen’s sight roams towards the medical office building in front of them for just a second, but it’s long enough for Jared to follow and then look at him with confusion. Jensen struggles to answer, being so close to telling Jared the truth and also having hardly slept. “We have … Danneel has an appointment.”

Jared glances between them and seems to pick up on the tension. “Oh, right.” Nodding at Danneel, he asks her, “How’s everything going? Are you feeling better?”

Danneel looks at him for a few long moments then turns towards Jensen with a flat look. Jensen’s certain she gets that she’s not the only one Jensen’s been hiding things from. “Yes, thank you,” she replies kindly enough to satisfy Jared. With a strange look, she says to Jensen, “Just meet me upstairs when you’re done,” and heads inside alone.

“Did I say something wrong?” Jared asks. He looks and sounds confused and guilty, which tugs at Jensen’s insides because he’s the one who’s been doing _everything_ wrong. “What’s going on, Jen?”

Jensen snaps to attention with Jared’s tense question. “I can’t talk about it right now,” he answers flatly. He’s certain that in another week he can. When they have a positive or negative on the pregnancy test then he can tell Jared what’s going on and he can make a decision on what do between the most important people in his life.

Jared sighs and shifts away. “Look, I get that she’s sick and it’s a sensitive thing. We’ve only been together like four months and I really don’t have any right to know what she’s going through. But I get the distinct feeling that there’s something else you’re not telling me, or like you’re trying to keep me at arm’s length.”

His heart says to argue that it’s not true, but his brain is feeling defeated and he barely meets Jared’s narrowed eyes. “It’s a long story,” he mumbles.

“I’m willing to listen.”

Jensen shakes his head then stares at the office building before them. “I need to get upstairs with Danneel. This is a bad time.”

“Well, when _is_ a good time?” Jared snaps.

Some twisted part of his mind hopes that Jared snaps entirely and breaks this off, just so he doesn’t have to. Give Jared the power to say no and let Jensen avoid breaking the man’s heart. But he can’t let that happen, especially not now, on a city sidewalk while Danneel’s with Dr. Stewart and preparing to start the rest of their lives.

When Jensen is quiet too long, Jared laughs bitterly. “Man, I get that some people hate getting serious, but you’ve been a freaking lock box for weeks now.”

“Jared,” Jensen sighs, but Jared rolls right over him, raising his hand between them.

“No, forget it. Forget I asked. And forget this right now. I gotta work, you gotta do … whatever,” he says tightly, waving at the building.

Jensen’s heart and stomach sink and his mouth goes dry, unable to choke out any plea to keep Jared in place when Jared shakes his head and walks away.

He rubs at his brow when he finally makes it into the office, and Judith, with her comfortable and sympathetic smile in place, directs him to Danneel’s room.

Danneel is on the medical table and already in a gown, fidgeting with the hem. She sits up straighter when he enters, obviously seeing the distress in his body and how he dumps himself into the chair off to the side. “He doesn’t even know, does he?” she asks softly.

Jensen brings his head up enough to catch her eyes. He figures there’s no point to lie now; he lacks the energy to fight it anyway. “No, he doesn’t.”

“Oh, Jensen,” she murmurs.

He scrubs his palms over his face then stares at the bright lights overhead. “I didn’t think it was gonna get this far,” he admits, knowing there’s no point in keeping quiet anymore. “It was just supposed to be a break between all of this.” She sighs gently and purses her lips in a sad smile, and he shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He tries on his best smile, but he’s sure between his exhaustion and the weight of what just happened with Jared that it’s truly pathetic. “We’re here now. You and me, Harris.”

“You are a moron.”

“What?”

She laughs harshly. “You are such a moron, lying to us all, even yourself. You realize that if this doesn’t work this time, we’re not doing it again, and we’re free to do anything else with our lives without freaking out over hormones and my uterus. You and Jared have a chance and you’re just gonna let him walk away, aren’t you? Are you deranged?”

“He willingly walked,” he weakly argues.

Danneel tips her head and glares at him, ready to fire back some other jab when Dr. Stewart enters with his easy smile and Danneel instantly shifts gears to return it.

 

  


 

For the entire ride back to the apartment they bicker over the whole ordeal until Jensen points out that she should be relaxed and stress-free after their fertilized egg has been implanted. She glares at him then relents, sighing and staring out the window.

In the living room, she settles on the couch like she always does after this process, on her back and shifting with her legs up on the top cushions. The TV remote dangles in her hand as she flips through the channels and keeps her eyes to the screen.

Jensen puts a glass of water on the coffee table. “You need anything else?”

“I need you to stop being so damn stubborn.”

“Stop worrying about me and worry about that,” he replies, pointing towards her stomach. “If you’re otherwise good, I’m going into work.”

“This late?”

He laughs flatly. “It’s better than sitting around here freaking out like we always do.”

She weakly smiles. “Okay. And I’m sorry.”

He sighs and gives her a tired smiles. “Me, too,” he replies as he dips down to kiss her forehead.

Danneel grabs his hand before he moves too far. “And about Jared. I’m sorry it happened in the middle of this.”

“No, you’re right. I can’t be in two places at once.”

“Yeah, but you’re happy with him. You deserve something good.”

Jensen shrugs. “What good is a reward if you ain't around to use it?”

She stares at him then rolls her eyes. “Are you quoting _Star Wars_ at me? About Jared?”

With a sad smile, he shrugs again. “I’m sure he would appreciate it.” He squeezes her hand then shakes their arms a little. “It is what it is. I’ll call when I’m on my way home to see if you need anything.”

 

  


 

In an effort to avoid disrupting _anything_ , Danneel stays on the couch all of Friday and Saturday. When she comes home from work the next week, she does pretty much the same thing, no matter how often Dr. Stewart has said average activity won’t hurt; Danneel’s become protective of her body, and the embryos, so she’s not chancing anything.

It’s been five days of work and lazy living, and mostly Jensen trying to not worry over the state of his relationship with Jared or what Saturday morning’s appointment will tell him and Danneel. He’s made two half-assed calls to Jared – specifically when he knew he’d only get voicemail – and otherwise avoided any incoming calls. He feels like he can’t cut Jared off until he knows what his future will look like, but he’s scared to face him, too.

The living room gets dark with the night and Jensen shifts at his place in the corner of the couch, nudging her feet out of his lap so he can get more comfortable.

She shoots him a look, but it eases when he sighs and kicks his feet up to the coffee table. They’ve done this enough that stir crazy has become visually obvious. He’s not sure how she hasn’t lost her patience this week, but she’s managing well so far.

Another hour or so and Danneel toes at his thigh. “Why don’t you get outta here?”

“And leave you to your own devices?” he smirks.

“ _I_ don’t have a choice about being out on a Friday night, but you do.”

“What’m I gonna do? Might as well get used to staying in every night,” he jokes lightly, reaching out to fiddle with the hem of her shirt where it rests at her lower abdomen.

“You could go see Jared.”

Jensen resolutely turns his sight to the TV, even if they’ve seen this movie a dozen times before.

“I know you’re ignoring your phone. You should at least try to talk to him.”

Jensen doesn’t respond immediately, staying on the couch with her through the end of the movie. But then he can’t stand it any longer, just thinking about talking to Jared begins to drive him crazier than staying on the couch any more this week.

He rises and leans over to kiss her cheek. “Alright, I gotta stretch my legs.”

She has a strained smile and nods. “Tomorrow morning,” she reminds him of the doctor’s visit they’ll cross their fingers through.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

 

  


 

He’s nervous as he stands on Jared’s front stoop he pushes the button to his apartment, and even more when he has to reply to Jared’s blind greeting.

“It’s Jensen.”

The intercom clicks off, far too loud it seems, and there’s a long silence until Jared comes back on. “I’m on my way out.”

“Can I come up for a minute?”

“You wanna come up?” Jared asks slowly.

“Yeah, I do,” he answers strongly.

This time, the intercom’s click seems even louder than the first and the silence even quieter. Then the door buzzes and Jensen nearly trips with how fast he moves to push through the entrance.

He takes the steps two at a time then stops at the top of the stairs when he sees Jared in the doorway to his apartment. He’s definitely dressed to go out, with a nicely pressed button-up, dark jeans, and his normally loose hair styled back behind his ears. Jensen thinks he looks gorgeous, even hotter than he can remember no matter what they were doing.

In a flash, he thinks back to meeting Jared on the street, going to the dog park, even of them in bed and how smooth and loose his smiles always are. Jensen’s certain he doesn’t want to lose Jared, but he doesn’t know what else to do.

Jared shifts in the doorway with his hand gripping the wood frame. His face is tight and when he bites into the side of his mouth, a shallow dimple appears.

Jensen swallows. “You look really nice.”

He glances at his watch and nods. “Yeah, I gotta meet someone at ten.”

“You’re going on a date?” Jensen asks stupidly.

Jared smirks, a little angrily really, and then shakes his head. “No, just some friends getting drinks. I suddenly have a lot of weekends free.”

“Jared,” Jensen sighs emotionally. “I’m really sorry. I’ve been stupid and shady, I know. But I care about you. A lot. And you have no idea how sorry I am about all this.”

It’s a long moment for Jared to say anything, but it’s comforting that he loses the hard edge to his voice. “What is _all this_?”

“I can’t explain it.” Jared sighs and he adds, “Not yet.”

One of Jared’s neighbors exits their apartment, oddly eying them both as she moves around Jared then Jensen in the hallway. Even on her way down the stairs, she’s looking up at them, so Jensen steps closer to avoid drawing more attention.

It’s been a long time since he’s had to make these kinds of proclamations. It’s been years, many years, and he’s not sure what’s going to work on Jared, but he just goes with as much of the truth as he can manage right now. “I know it’s not fair to keep saying that, but please believe me when I say that you mean a lot to me. I am stupidly glad that some asshole knocked me over on 12th and that you were there to pick me up and dust me off.”

Jared’s face changes and he almost looks confused. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” Jensen pushes.

“Pick you up and dust you off? How fucking cheesy are you?”

Jensen’s shocked by Jared’s words, but he’s relieved when Jared smiles a little. “I’m not good at these kinds of things,” Jensen admits with a small smile of his own.

“You mean relationships?” Jared jokes tightly.

Jensen shrugs and nods. “Yeah, pretty much.”

Jared’s cell beeps and he pulls it from his front pocket, checking it then putting it back in place with a small frown. “I gotta meet some people.”

He nods slowly and steps back. “I just wanted you to know,” Jensen murmurs.

With a small nod, Jared says, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

As Jensen turns, Jared slowly says, “I’ll probably regret this, but you wanna come?”

Jensen’s mind reels at the chance to spend one more night with Jared. “Really?”

Jared flips his eyebrows up and laughs to himself. “Are you up for drinks with my friends?”

His nod is stilted but his smile is strong when he says, “Yeah, I’d love that.”

 

  


 

It’s a whole new thing to see Jared out with his friends, to see him joking and laughing so freely following the last week of them being tense and cut-off. Jensen laughs and quips with the group, feeling loose as well.

The drinks help let Jensen enjoy the night out, to be away from the stress of Danneel’s attempted pregnancies, the associated conversations, and the guilt of only giving Jared so much of himself.

After a few strong drinks, he completely forgets that Danneel is at home crossing her fingers alone or that there was any hiccup with Jared at all. They huddle together for their own conversations, hands at hips and heads close. There are many small smiles and a few quick kisses between longer conversations with Jared’s friends. Jensen can’t remember the last time he felt this comfortable with someone, and it stretches on when the bar’s closing and they walk back to Jared’s apartment.

Jensen thinks about going home so he can get up in the morning and be useful when Danneel needs him, but he excuses that guilt away. He tells himself he can manage to get up on time, no matter how little sleep he’ll get, in exchange for another night in Jared’s bed.

Jared settles between Jensen’s legs, sucking him down and softly moaning around it. Jensen grips at Jared’s hair when it feels like too much too soon, and Jared lifts off and moves up his body.

“You taste so good,” Jared murmurs just before licking into Jensen’s mouth.

Jensen fights him in the kiss and grips tight at Jared’s back. He runs his hand down to Jared’s ass and squeezes tight. “Wanna be in you,” Jensen mumbles around their kiss. “Wanna fuck you, and feel you.”

“You’re a smart man,” Jared smirks. He moves to the nightstand and Jensen straddles the back of Jared’s legs, licking his thumb and pressing it against Jared’s entrance, unable to stay patient. “And quick. Goddamn you’re quick,” Jared laughs.

“Then let’s make this one last, huh?”

Jared drops lube and a condom at his side and hitches his hips up to give Jensen more room. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere right now.”

Jensen slicks up his finger and slides it in with slow, spinning motions to stretch Jared open. He squeezes Jared’s ass and works lube and a second finger in then a third when Jared’s ready for it.

Jared gets up to his hands and knees and rocks back onto Jensen’s hand. The bow of his back and strain of his muscles is hypnotizing and Jensen strokes over Jared’s back, watching and now feeling how the muscles twist with every moment. It goes on for so long and is such a breathtaking sight; Jensen’s beginning to wonder if they should just do this through the morning.

But Jared’s broken moans cut right to Jensen’s dick, and he wants to feel just as good as Jared does. Jensen rolls the condom on and slicks himself up before slowly pushing in, settling hips to ass and running his palms up and down Jared’s back until Jared slowly rolls his hips back. Jensen slides in and out and slowly builds his rhythm. Jared meets every thrust, pushing back to Jensen’s hips and groaning.

Jensen pulls Jared’s hips back and holds them, and he’s so fucking deep in Jared, he can hardly breathe. With his hands on Jared’s chest, he brings him back against his own chest, and they settle more comfortably on their knees with Jared’s head falling back on Jensen’s shoulder. Jensen slowly fucks Jared like this, licking and nipping over the tight column of Jared’s neck, moaning into his skin.

When Jared wraps a hand around his dick, Jensen joins him, and they slowly stroke him together. Jared’s breath is loud but shallow, and Jensen sucks at Jared’s ear lobe then breathes hard against the shell of it as he quickens his strides, unable to ignore his coming orgasm.

“God, you feel so good. So hot, so deep,” he rambles at Jared’s ear.

Jared’s rhythm breaks and he grips at Jensen’s thigh. “Stop talking, and just fuck me,” Jared mumbles as his head falls forward, even though he’s smirking and biting his lip. “I’m right there, just keep going.”

Jensen quickens his hips and wraps his free hand around Jared’s neck, fingers nudging Jared’s jaw so they can meet in a kiss. Their lips go wide, tongues barely moving, but wet and thick all the same. Jared’s moans go high and his pushes back hard on Jensen’s dick, stuttering and coming over their joined hands. Jared rests back against Jensen, and Jensen wraps his arms around Jared’s chest, fucking in a few more times. He presses his face into Jared’s shoulder and his moan is muffled when he comes buried deep inside Jared.

After cleaning up, they fall to the bed, all loose limbs and minds blown. The air coming in through the open windows is cool against Jensen’s sweaty skin and he pulls a sheet up to his chest.

Jared settles on his stomach and tilts his head on the pillow to look at Jensen with hazy eyes. “No need to be modest now.”

Jensen softly chuckles and turns his head to face him. He reaches over and moves a few strands of hair off Jared’s forehead with his thumb. “You are obnoxious,” he says, but he’s sure his smile betrays the complaint.

“It’s been said.”

“You should probably work on that.” Jared snorts and then his eyes flutter a few times, like he’s fighting to stay awake. Jensen softly slides his thumb down Jared’s jaw. “Work on sleeping first,” he murmurs.

Jared hums and closes his eyes, and Jensen follows soon after.

 

  


 

Jensen’s beeping cell wakes him. He can’t move far with Jared’s arm wrapped around his waist, but he shifts enough to snag the edge of his jeans beside the bed and bring them up to the mattress. He blinks against the light of the room and his heart stops at the text from Danneel.

_I assume you’re meeting me at the Dr?_

His brain registers how bright the room really is and when he goes to the home screen on his cell, he sees that it’s nearly eleven.

Danneel’s probably cursing him out for not being home – hell, Jensen’s doing that right now as he stumbles out of the arm Jared’s got clamped around his waist.

Jared’s shocked awake with a hazy, “What’s going on?”

“I have to go,” Jensen answers tightly. His mind runs through the Saturday bus schedule and he figures he can jog half the way and meet Danneel in decent timing.

“Are you serious?”

Jensen stands to tug his underwear and jeans up then slips his shirt back on. He holds his sweater in his hand when he leans over the bed and frowns. “I’m sorry.” He cups Jared’s cheek and kisses him softly. “I have to.”

“Wait a minute,” he argues, grabbing at Jensen’s other arm.

“Danneel has an appointment.” With a gentle smile, Jensen rubs at the corner of Jared’s mouth with his thumb. “Bye,” he whispers, and it feels final when he leaves.

 

  


 

He doesn’t make it as fast as he’d hoped, but he still finds Danneel in the exam room, just like he did months ago, just after meeting Jared. It’s unnerving how the similarities fall in place, especially with her in a blue paper gown, slumped into the curve of the reclined bench, and staring at a small slip of paper in her hands.

“Hey, kiddo,” he murmurs.

She looks up with red cheeks and wet eyes. She sadly smiles. “Hey you.”

Jensen stands at her side and combs hair away from her shoulder. “You okay?”

“My arm hurts,” she mumbles, motioning at the band-aid from the blood test. “And my ass, too.” She laughs, soft but a little rough. “Been sitting her for hours, it seems like.”

“They did it already?” he asks stupidly.

She shrugs and stares at her hands. “I couldn’t wait.” Her face goes flat as she pins him with a sad look. “I’m so sorry, Jensen.”

He leans closer and pushes hair away from her face, thumbing away the tears that had fallen before he came. “It’s okay, honey. We’re gonna be okay.”

“No, Jensen …” she trails off then turns the paper towards him.

His heart stops and his breath catches at the loose script of her name at the top of a checklist with one large X that’s punctuated with a loose circle around it. Five other times, the page has been mostly blank; right now it’s foreign to see anything added in the margins.

He looks up with wide eyes and she gives him a watery smile. “Congratulations, Papa.”

“Oh my God,” he whispers and then repeats it more loudly as he rushes forward to hug her. “Oh my _God_ , Danneel!” he shouts at her ear.

He pulls back and holds her face in his hands and beams at her. When she returns the bright smile, he kisses her soundly on the lips, making her laugh and push him away.

“I told you!” he crows. “I _told you_ this was gonna be the time.”

“God, stop being so damn smug,” she laughs. “You’re gonna have a young, impressionable child on your hands.”

He grins so hard his cheeks hurt and then places his palm to her belly. “Watch your language in front of my baby.”

Danneel puts both of her hands over his. “Our baby.”

“Yeah,” he says breathlessly.

 

  


 

“I told you!” Helene shouts as she pushes through the front door and hugs him tighter than ever before, which is really saying something.

Jensen gulps at her hard grip around his ribcage. “Danneel says being smug is bad for the baby.”

When Helene pulls back, she lightly slaps his cheek. “I’m that baby’s grandmother. Let me be self-righteous.”

He laughs, because it’s exhilarating that this is finally a reality, that all the ups and downs and extreme disappointments are finally worth it. He only remotely worries about how much more Helene will dote over them now.

“Where’s the proud mama at?” Helene asks, nudging him out of her way and walking into the living room.

“Cleaning out the office,” he replies, following Helene to sit on the couch.

“You mean the nursery?” she asks and winks.

“I think she’s nesting too soon, but don’t tell her that.”

“At least the place will be clean,” she smirks and pinches his side. Then she pats his knee and holds. “You doing okay with this?”

“Yeah, I’m ecstatic,” he laughs.

“You guys are stuck together forever now.”

“I’m aware.”

Helene turns towards him and her eyes are strangely soft, less overbearing in her own motherly way. “I love you two kids, and I’m excited for you both, you know that, right?”

Jensen covers her hand and pinches his mouth in confusion, and worry, of what she’s getting at. “Of course.”

“Being a parent is hard, Jensen,” she says seriously. “First you’re an adult with all your own things and a job and friends. You do all the things you want to do, and then this little baby comes along, this little blessing who becomes your whole world. And you struggle to stretch yourself to keep up all your _Jensen_ things while still giving this li’l baby your life. You’re gonna get stretched thin, and at times, you have to sacrifice the _Jensen_ things.”

His heart beats fast and hard, thinking over all the things that will become second rate, or third and fourth, in favor of their child. It’s thrilling that they’re bringing a baby into their lives, but there’s the small nagging feeling that so much will be left behind.

Helene flips her hand over to hold his tightly. “But it’s all worth it when you see your li’l baby smile. And between you two, that baby’s gonna have a killer smile.”

Jensen laughs emotionally, feeling tears prick.

“And the eyes, oh heavens,” she dramatically sighs. “You two with your sad sack puppy eyes. Now in one cute, little package? Your baby will want for nothing. That boy’s gonna be spoiled.”

He laughs again, knowing that Helene will probably do most of the spoiling. He nudges her shoulder with his own. “Who says it’s a boy?”

“Motherly intuition.” She winks then reaches for his face, bringing him for a nice kiss on the cheek. “You’re gonna be a great father. After all I’ve watched you do for Danneel, I know you’ll be great. I know you’ll make the best decisions for the baby. Just make sure you don’t make it too hard on yourself.”

 

  


 

Helene’s words weigh heavily on his mind, nagging him to call Jared. They plan to meet at Smithfield Park so Jared can let Harley loose.

Jensen’s captivated by a young brown-haired, fair-skinned boy chasing his dog into one corner of the fenced-off play area. The boy tugs on the dog’s tail and then laughs brightly when the dog spins around and licks his face. Jensen’s eyes follow the boy stumbling back and giggling when the dog butts its head into his side, then the boy runs to the gate happily calling for his mom. She swoops him up and over the fence and bops him on her hip, nuzzling the side of his face.

He’s broken from the scene by something knocking at the top of his head and when he looks up, Jared’s smiling and tipping a paper coffee cup at Jensen’s head.

“You awake?” Jared asks as he rounds the bench and sits next to him.

“Yeah, I just,” he mumbles, motioning towards the fence.

“They’re adorable aren’t they?”

Jensen’s sure Jared means the dogs, but he lets it go.

“So, whatever you had to take care of this morning, it all okay?” Jared asks awkwardly.

He takes a long sip of the steaming coffee and nods to himself for the courage to finally tell Jared the truth. “Danneel’s pregnant.”

Jared’s eyes widen. “Wow, I didn’t know she … is that what all the health stuff was about?”

Jensen smiles a little, because he’s still happy about it. “Yeah, she’s been trying for a while and it finally stuck.”

“Good for her,” Jared smiles back. “I didn’t even know she was with anyone. What’s that mean for you guys? Like living together, the apartment and everything?”

Here, he falters to say the words, but he forces them out. “Nothing changes.” He turns to face Jared and bites his bottom lip. “The baby’s mine.” The second Jared’s face drops, Jensen decides to charge right on with everything. “We did it through in vitro. It’s been two years of us trying. So many times it was a no, but this morning, it’s a yes.”

“You said you weren’t together,” he says flatly.

“We’re not.”

“But you’re …” Jared drifts off, gesturing vaguely.

Jensen takes a deep breath. “We’re doing _this_ together.”

Jared shakes his head, looking angry then confused as he turns away to stare across the park. “You guys are having a baby? Jesus Christ, Jensen. That’s kind of an important thing to know.”

“That’s why I’m telling you now.”

He turns on Jensen quickly, bitter and hurt. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

It’s killing him to do this, but he has to. He has new responsibilities coming and he has to fully commit to those from today on. “Because I didn’t expect you and me to really happen. And before I knew it, I was so far in, I didn’t want to scare you off. I know it’s a crazy situation.”

“ _Crazy_?” he laughs hysterically. “This is so far beyond crazy, it’s off the charts.”

“I’m so sorry, Jared,” he says emotionally. He shakes his head and feels the words break in his throat. “You don’t know how much I wish we’d met years ago so this could really work.”

Jared rolls his eyes, kicks his feet out to spread his knees, and sighs. “Funny way of showing it.”

“I know. I _so_ know.”

“God, after last night, I thought things were fine. And then you just dump this on me.”

Jensen flinches at the harshness to Jared’s voice. “I didn’t know how to handle it until we knew for sure. She took the test this morning.”

“And what? If it wasn’t positive, you were just gonna keep stringing me along until it was and _then_ you’d finally tell me about it?”

“No,” he says shaking his head quickly. “If it was negative, we’d stop trying and then I’d give us a try.”

Jared looks at him, eyes roving over his face as he otherwise freezes. “And you’re not now?”

“I can’t now.” Jensen drops his head to stare at his hands clasped in his lap and takes a deep breath. “I have a commitment to Danneel and the baby. I can’t be in two places at once. I can’t stretch myself beyond them.”

“I don’t even get a say in it, huh?”

“I can’t let Danneel down.”

“What about me, Jensen?” he asks quietly. “You said you really cared, but now you’re just ending it, not giving it a chance. Like, just, nothing at all?”

He sighs and licks his lips before he lets his final admission free. “I _do_ care. I haven’t felt like this about someone in a very long time. You mean a lot to me.”

Just a moment later, Jared stands and walks towards the dog area. Jensen gets up and follows, calling his name, but Jared glares at him. “I oughta get Harley home. I’ve got a commitment to him and I can’t let him down.”

Jensen frowns and sighs, spinning away for a second as Jared gets Harley and tacks his leash to his collar. When Jared looks up, he pins Jensen with a sad, tormented look, as if he’s tired of being bitter, but is still hurt.

“We were good together. But I guess you don’t see that.”

“I do.” Jared shakes his head and Jensen mumbles, “I love you.” He feels pathetic for letting it out this way, but it’s all he has left to assure Jared that this is hard on him, too.

“Don’t,” Jared says, shaking his head more forcefully. “Don’t do that.”

“If things were different,” he says.

Jared frowns and walks away.

 

  


 

For weeks, Jensen knows he’s awful when it comes to thinking about Jared. He feels guilty and heartbroken. When he’s not focused on Danneel and the pregnancy, he feels a shocking loneliness, mostly when he’s trying to sleep and his bed seems strangely large and cold.

She makes comments about it, mostly caring and worried, but he doesn’t have the energy to insist he’s fine or even to discuss all that happened. Instead, he switches gears and concentrates on all they need to do for the next few months. There are new kinds of doctor’s appointments to handle the delicate nature of the procedure, baby supplies to start buying, and a shower to plan down the road. He leaves the last to Helene’s masterful skills for organization and sets to rearranging things throughout the apartment to make room for all that they’ll be bringing home.

It’s enough to distract him during the day. Thankfully, it also reminds him of the family he and Danneel are starting.

 

  


 

Danneel comes home from work and taps on the counter as she smiles at Jensen in the kitchen.

“Can I help you?” he asks, stepping up to the other side and feeling like they’re at some fast food joint. “Maybe a Nachos Bel Grande?”

“Ugh,” she grimaces. “And just when the morning sickness faded.”

“You are welcome.” He taps the counter with her. “What’s up?”

“Are you busy tonight?”

“It’s me and you ‘til the end of time, baby.”

Danneel fakes another grimace. “Don’t remind me.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Wanna go out for dinner?”

He nods quickly, more than willing to get out after spending the last two months just going to work and being home. “Yeah, sure.”

“Steph and her husband invited us out.”

Jensen stares at her because he’s certain she must joking.

“What?” she asks.

“I’m waiting for the punch line.”

“What? Steph’s my friend.”

Jensen smacks the counter with his palm and nods. “And there it is.”

Danneel rolls her eyes and rests against the counter. “Okay, she’s not my favorite person. But she invited us out for dinner.”

“Is it because you’re both pregnant? Is this what our lives have come to? Only pregnant friends and talk about breast feeding versus formula?”

“It’s a valid discussion,” she sighs.

Jensen laughs to himself, sets his hands on the counter, and leans towards her. “Can I remind you that in the last two years, I’ve learned more about your undercarriage than I care to think about? Talking about your breasts lactating is not my idea of a good time.”

“You think I’ve enjoyed discussing your prostate?”

He gives her a thoughtful look. “Well, it’s been helpful from my point of view.”

She pushes his face away, barely hiding her laugh. “Just for that, you’re going and you’re wearing a tie.”

Jensen sighs painfully. “Really?”

“Will you stop complaining if I pay?”

“I’ll stop complaining if Perfect Steph pays and I get to stay home.”

Danneel puts her hands on her hips and stares him down hard enough that it shakes him back to his childhood, and man, when did she nail the judgmental mother look?

“Will there be wine?” he asks tiredly.

“No more than two glasses,” she stipulates.

After a moment of thought, he counters, “Three and I’ll smile.”

“A lot,” she says strongly, pointing right in his face. “You will be your formerly charming self and smile a lot.”

 

  


 

He smiles more than he has in weeks. They’re mostly forced, but he makes an effort and Danneel aims kind glances his way for it.

Steph and her husband Adam really aren’t as bad as Danneel had ever said before. They’re polite when they ask Danneel and Jensen questions about the in vitro process, interested as they ask follow-up questions, and charismatic when they talk of their own family.

Jensen loses track of the conversation as he thanks the waitress for refilling his second glass of wine, smiling at her then taking a sip. When he tunes back in, Steph’s talking about their eight-year-old daughter tormenting their German Shepard in the most _delightful_ ways.

“And Shaggy’s running in circles while Sheila’s just laughing her head off in the corner.”

“Was he chasing his tail?” Jensen jokes. The table goes quiet and he glances around, wondering what kind of mistake he’s just made.

“No,” Steph says slowly. “I’d just said Sheila wrapped her hair tie around his ankle.”

It’s not said in any bad manner, but Jensen feels a knife in his gut for having missed that part and showing that he did by implying their dog is stupid. “Sorry,” he says with a tense smile.

“Dogs chase their tails?” Adam chuckles. “Is this a Looney Toons video we haven’t seen yet?”

“No, I knew a dog that –” Suddenly he stops, distracted by memories of he and Jared taking Harley to the dog park and watching the crazy mutt spin around for minutes on end.

“Oh, what kind of dog did you have?” Steph asks with interest.

“I didn’t. My friend did.”

Danneel laughs and shakes her head. “Who was this?”

It’s a valid question, considering they’ve been standing beside one another for two decades and she’s never heard this before. With a passing glance in her direction, he quickly says, “Jared’s dog, Harley.” The table’s still a little awkward and he again feels foolish having said anything, especially when Danneel frowns a little and pats his knee.

Steph looks to Danneel with a raised eyebrow and Danneel lightly shakes her head.

Jensen brings his wine glass to his mouth and tries on an easy smile. “So, Shaggy was spinning?”

“Yes,” Steph says quickly, clapping her hands together and going on with the story.

 

  


 

Back in his room, Jensen’s pulling tie off as Danneel calls his name from the doorway.

He faces her with an even, “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” she asks softly.

“I only had two glasses, Dan,” he sighs and works on unbuttoning his shirt.

“And thank you for that. Seriously,” she adds on with her hand out. “You just, you didn’t talk a whole lot?”

He laughs to himself and nods. “Well, the one time I did, I was a total Debbie Downer.”

Danneel leans against the doorway, resting her head on the wood and sadly smiling at him. “You are not a Debbie Downer.”

There’s an argument on his tongue, but he holds it in and lets his bitter tone drop. “I’m sorry I ruined the night.”

“You didn’t ruin the night,” she insists. “I just want to make sure you’re doing okay.”

“I am fine.”

“You are lying.”

He looks up to find her leveling a harsh glare at him. “I’m not-”

“You can lie to yourself all you want, but I know you’re not happy.”

“Well, now who’s the Debbie Downer?” he tries to joke, but it falls flat between them. He sighs and drops his hands to his sides. “What do you want me to say, Danneel? That I’m unhappy? That I don’t blame you?”

“That’d be a start,” she says, still looking upset yet now encouraging.

He sighs again and glances up to the ceiling before granting her a truer look, one that he’s sure clearly speaks to how he really feels. “Okay, I’m miserable. I know I fucked up, but I don’t regret it for you and the baby. And I certainly don’t blame you. I’m well aware I shit in my own bed.”

She looks even sadder when her eyes tip towards his mattress. “That’s a really sad visual. Disgusting really.”

“I don’t blame you,” he repeats louder than before.

“I heard you the first time.” She nods and bites at the corner of her mouth while her eyes tear up. “I’m just really sorry you feel this way. I wish there was something-”

“You can’t do anything.” He meets her in the doorway and wipes under her eyes with his thumbs. “Just, let me get over it, and then we’ll be the most ridiculously happy family that even Steph will be jealous.”

Danneel laughs and when more tears break free, she lightly kicks at his shin. “Damn you, Ackles. Being so damn pathetic and loveable at the same time.”

“It’s part of my charm.” He smiles and for the first time in far too long it feels genuine. “I’m so excited for us, though,” he murmurs. “So don’t ever doubt me on that, okay?”

“Okay,” she says with a nod and goes on her toes to kiss his cheek. When she pulls back, she searches his eyes for a few seconds. “Get yourself some sleep. You look tired.”

“Just as soon as you leave me be.”

She pats his cheek and turns away with a murmured goodnight.

Once he’s down to shorts and a tee, he turns off the lights, slides under the covers, and stares at the ceiling with countless memories brewing in his mind. They’ve all been the same for months, but he’s comforted a little that he and Danneel are relatively okay.

 

  


 

Jensen knows they’re jumping the gun, but they found a crib they were both excited about and it was on sale. He’s on the floor in the baby’s room with crib parts scattered around him and the frame of it upright in the corner. He shuffles to his back, sliding beneath it, and lines up a new slat to screw into place when Danneel comes home.

She calls his name before she finds him in the nursery. “Now who’s nesting?”

He glances through the frame and playfully scowls then looks back to where he’s placing the next screw. “I am not nesting. I’m being manly and rugged and building you furniture. I might even go hunt for dinner next.”

She sets a few shopping bags in the corner before softly humming.

“What?”

“I ran into Jared while I was out,” Danneel murmurs.

His eyes automatically meet hers and he goes back to his work, clearing his throat. “And?” he asks flatly, because there’s no way he wants to talk to her about it now, four months after the fact.

“And, that’s it, I guess” she draws out. “I’m going out for groceries. You need anything?”

“Wood glue?”

Danneel laughs and kicks his knee. “You’re asking for that now?”

“Better late than never.”

“Hey, Ackles.” When he looks up, she’s crouching beside him and squeezing his knee. “You know I love you for all this, right?”

He returns her warm smile. “You better.”

She scratches at seam of his jeans then tugs on it. “Just, don’t lose yourself along the way, okay?” Her free hand absently taps at the bump she’s starting to show. “I know you’re gonna be good to me and the baby, but be good to yourself, too.”

Being pregnant has brought a whole new rash of hormones into the mix, plus she’s been openly more loving, filled with the joy of the baby inside her. Jensen’s not too surprised by what she’s saying, but it feels odd all the same.

Jensen slowly nods and Danneel pats his knee and leaves.

Once he hears the front door shut, he goes back to the electric screwdriver in his hand, pushing a screw into place and grabbing the next one. Three more screws and he puts another slat up. He gets halfway through screwing it in when he hears a soft cough.

He sits up so fast, he smacks his head against the frame and groans, rolling to his side and holding his face. In seconds, Jared’s in front of him, pulling on his shoulders to help him shuffle out from under the crib.

“What’re you doing?” Jensen grumbles.

“Helping you?”

Jensen sits as upright as he can thanks to the dizziness and pain shooting across the bridge of his nose. “What’re you doing here?”

Jared clears his throat. “I ran into Danneel.”

He wipes at his nose and looks for blood on his fingers, but there is none, just a whole lot of pain. “Yeah, she said that, but I didn’t think it meant she brought you home.” Jared’s looking at him intently, like he’s afraid to speak, and Jensen tweaks his nose and thinks about the pain just so he doesn’t have to keep staring at Jared. “I thought you were the one into taking in strays. Now I’m gonna worry about her.”

Jared softly laughs and settles on his knees and Jensen moves to sit cross-legged. “Are you okay?” he asks, lightly running fingers over Jensen’s nose.

“I think so.”

“It’s like déjà vu,” Jared jokes lightly.

Jensen glances up to him and relives their first meeting. It still stings to remember.

Jared shrugs. “At least your pretty mug is intact.”

He smiles a little, but new pain flares across his brow and he covers his forehead. He takes the time to think about the aches in his head because he’s not sure what to say to Jared.

“Danneel looks good,” Jared says kindly. “All baby-bumped out.”

Jensen nods and crookedly smiles. “Yeah, she’s been excited to see it fill out. I’m waiting for her to really bloat up and cry about not having anything to wear.”

Jared chuckles. “That’s cruel.”

“It’ll be payback for all the veggie milkshakes.” After a tense stretch of silence, Jensen drops his hands to his lap and takes a calming breath. “So, how’re things?”

“They’re things,” he says like he’s not sure. “Not great, but not too bad.” Jensen nods because he’s not really certain how to follow that up, especially since he knows the _not great_ portion is his fault. “It’s been some time, and I’ve had a lot to think about.” His mouth twists and gives Jensen a tentative look. “And I think you should give us another chance.”

Jensen immediately looks at the half-built crib and softly sighs. “Jared, I can’t.”

“You _can_. And _I_ can. I can deal with all that this entails,” he says with confidence, waving around them. “You didn’t even give me a chance, didn’t let me make the choice about what I wanted. You took that right out of my hands and made it by yourself.”

His fingers twitch as a warm tingle worms its way up his arms and settles in his chest. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’m miserable. And Danneel says you are, too. It doesn’t make any sense that we don’t try to make it work.”

“Jared,” he mumbles, shaking his head.

Jared leans forward and finds Jensen’s eyes to stare at him self-assuredly. “I’m saying I wanna be here and be a part of it all.”

He thinks briefly on Danneel’s words before she left and he wonders what else they talked about despite hardly knowing each other. He wonders when Danneel decided to open up their lives to let Jared in. Still, even if Jared contends it’s true, he can’t fathom it being a reality. “That’s not fair to you, always coming in third behind Danneel and the baby.”

Jared tips his head and softly smiles. “Why don’t you let me decide what’s fair to me?”

“Did Danneel force you into this?” he asks nervously. If this is real, he wants it to be all from Jared.

“No, it’s my idea.”

Searching Jared’s eyes, he sees nothing but care and sureness. Jensen’s heart is racing and his words are coming even faster. “You really want to be here in the middle of all this and be attached to the mess my life’s about to come? Danneel and the baby? Changing diapers and three a.m. feedings?”

With a tiny smirk, Jared scoots closer. “I told you I have a bit of a hero complex.”

“I’m building the baby crib,” he says stupidly. It’s his last chance to make a point that his priorities are completely changing.

“I can help,” Jared nods, coming even closer, just inches from Jensen’s face. “I’ve been told I have a good set of paws.”

Jensen laughs deliriously and slips his hands into Jared’s hair, pulling him in for a hard kiss, and Jared comes willingly, forcing him into the side of the baby’s dresser. He can’t care for the pinch of the corner at his back because he has Jared here again, and this is really going to happen.

He hums as he pulls back from Jared, feeling dazed and anxious when they smile at one another. He kisses him once more then sighs. “We probably shouldn’t do this in the baby’s room.”

Jared glances at the crib and frowns. “Yeah, this might be a li’l inappropriate.”

“We can get inappropriate in _my_ room?”

He rises, helps Jensen up, and grins.

 

  


 

Jensen fixes up two plates of mac ‘n cheese, moving about the kitchen to grab cups and juice from the fridge, when he hears Jared ask, “What do you think you’re doing?”

He looks over his shoulder and into the living room where Jared’s seated in the corner of the couch and currently in a stare-down with Julia, Jensen and Danneel’s troublesome four-year-old with wavy blonde curls swaying across her back. She giggles and jumps up and down on the cushions, but Jared keeps glaring at her.

Christ, she should not be up on the couch like that, but Jensen lets the moment continue so he can watch (and let) Jared handle it.

“I’m jum’in’” she cries with laughter. “Jum’ wit me!”

“Daddy says no shoes on the couch,” Jared says levelly.

“Daddy’s not here. You are.”

That’s when Jared’s smile breaks and he tugs the girl to his lap, lightly shaking her. “Oh, and you think I’m gonna let you get away with it, huh?” She laughs more, shaking from side to side with him. “You think I’m that easy, you li’l munchkin?” He pitches Julia to her back then lifts her shirt and plants raspberries on her belly, making her shriek in a way that normally spikes Jensen’s worry.

Jensen puts the plates on the counter and keeps watching as Jared tickles and raspberries her into submission, until she’s left heaving with quick breathes thanks to her bright laughter. Even from this angle, he can still see Jared comb hair off her face and kiss her forehead, grinning the whole time.

“Uncle Jared?”

“Yes, sweetheart?” he asks with a soft, sugary voice.

“Can you tie my shoes?”

He laughs broadly. “What? So you can keep jumping on the couch?”

“Maybe,” Julia says slowly.

Jared shifts to rest on his elbow and lie down next to her. “Let’s make a deal. I tie your shoes and you stay off the couch while you wear them, okay?”

Julia’s tiny hand shoots into the air and Jared completes the pinky swear while dwarfing her fingers with just one of his. As he leans over her feet to tie the shoelace, she grabs at the ends of his hair then twists strands around her itty-bitty fingers. Jared tugs on the bow of her lace and smiles at her. “All good?”

“Perfect,” she nods, tugging on his hair while he keeps doing the same to her shoelace.

“I tie your shoe, you gotta pay the toll,” he insists.

She sits up quickly, smacks a wet kiss to his mouth, and turns over to run around the couch and back to her room.

Jared glances up and tips his head as he watches Jensen, and Jensen’s sure he’s caught with a dazed look on his face, completely absorbed in the crazy way Jared has become such a fixture in their lives.

Jensen clears his throat and calls out, “Dinnertime!” nudging the plates closer to the end of the counter.

Julia races back into the room, climbs up the stool on the other side of the counter, and immediately reaches for her sippy cup to gulp quickly.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jensen warns, nipping the end of her nose. She squeaks and he grins at her. “Slow down, li’l girl. Eat a little, too.”

She huffs dramatically, sets her cup down, and grabs her yellow Tweety Bird fork to pick at the geometric-shaped noodles on her plate.

Jared stands next to her and runs a hand down her hair as he picks a few noodles off the second plate. Jensen smacks his hand and scowls playfully. “Not yours.”

Jared frowns back. “But I love the trapezoids.”

“What’s a trap-a-zoo?” Julia asks, her bright green eyes boring into Jensen’s.

Before he can answer, Jared says, “It’s one of these things,” and picks the shape out of her macaroni then pops it into his mouth with a satisfied smile.

“Oh God, you,” Jensen groans, but he’s well aware he’s smiling, too. “Jack!” he yells off to his left. “Come get dinner before your uncle eats it all.”

“No, no, no, no, no,” comes the loud chant as Jack barrels down the hallway. He’s petulant like his twin sister, and blonde, too. Yet, he’s far more serious, which they secretly blame on him being five minutes older, and is proven when he shoves his tiny hands into Jared’s knee in an attempt to push him out of the way. “My mac’roni! Not Uncle Jared’s!”

Jensen gives Jared a look with one eyebrow up high and an _I told you so_ on his lips.

Jared sighs dramatically and heaves Jack up to his stool, nudging it closer to the counter and kissing the back of the boy’s head. He walks into the kitchen and hipchecks Jensen on his way to the fridge. “Is there any mac’roni left for the big boys?”

He tips the pan so Jared can see what’s left, which is enough for him, and Jared smiles. “See, all you had to do was ask,” Jensen says then shakes his head fondly. “No need to rob the kids.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Jared murmurs as he leans in to peck Jensen’s cheek.

“What’s rob?” Julia asks.

Jack stares at them, waiting for the answer, too.

“When Uncle Jared takes something that’s not his,” Jensen explains with an easy smile.

“Not _just_ me,” Jared says, rolling his eyes.

The kids eat a bit, then are just pushing noodles around to create landscapes on their plates and chattering on about what they’re each making. Danneel comes through the front door and they instantly cheer for her, bouncing up and down on their stools. She drops her purse to the arm chair then comes between them. She wraps an arm around each, kissing their heads with a sweet, “Hey, pumpkins.”

“Mama, Uncle Jared robbed me.”

Danneel combs her fingers through his hair and kisses his forehead. “Honey, I’m sure he didn’t rob you.”

“Yes, he did.”

“I did not,” Jared says. He almost sounds serious, except he’s eating straight from the pan of mac ‘n cheese and then pointing a Bugs Bunny spoon at Jack. “You take that back.”

“He robbed me, too,” Julia says lightly, eyes focused on the mangled star on her plate. “He took my noodles and ate them.”

Danneel shoots Jared a glare that’s evened out by her smirk.

“Oh my God,” Jared sighs playfully. “You guys are such snitches.” He sets his elbows on the counter and leans in close to Julia. “Let’s see what happens the next time you ask me to tie your shoe.”

Danneel chuckles and joins them in the kitchen, kissing Jensen’s cheek before grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. They watch Jared glance at Jack’s plate and point at the dog that’s taking shape on his plate. “And what’s that, Jackie?”

“It’s Harley.”

Jared grins. “Dude, that’s awesome. But his tail goes a li’l more like this,” he insists, pushing a few pieces in different directions then plucking one up and popping it into his mouth.

“Mama!” Jack yells. “He robbed me again!”

“Jared,” Danneel intones like she’s disciplining one of the kids. “Stop stealing food from Jack.”

“Sorry, Jack,” Jared says sadly, but then he lightly flicks Jack’s ear and they’re both laughing.

“Stop playing with your food and eat,” Jensen says, putting a bowl of mac ‘n cheese in front of Jared. He pats Jared’s back when he playfully grumbles, and turns to Danneel, lowering his voice. “You get everything?”

“Yeah, I stashed it my trunk,” she whispers back. “Can you and Jared bring it all up tonight?”

“No problem. We’ll hide it in our closet.”

Her eyes get bright and she bounces a little on her toes. “They had the four-wheeler with the chopper blades.”

Jensen’s eyes widen and he excitedly whispers, “The one that actually takes off?”

“Yes, in red!” she says a little louder then frowns and lowers her voice again. “This is gonna be the best birthday ever.”

He laughs and rubs her back. “You said that last year.”

“They keep getting better.”

They both turn to watch the kids playing with their food together and Jensen feels warm from the scene the two make with Jared seated across from them.

Then they watch as Jared leans forward and whispers, though he’s loud enough to be heard. “If you guys give me the rest of your mac ‘n cheese when you’re done, I’ll give you gummi bears later.”

Jack and Julia both push their plates forward and high-five him. They hop off their stools and race back to their room shouting, “Done!” on the way.

When Jared glances over his shoulder, Jensen and Danneel both cross their arms and glare at him. “What?”

Danneel snorts and pushes Jensen at Jared. “I’m gonna go play with our kids, you handle this one.”

 

  


 

“Goodnight, red bird,” Jensen murmurs.

“Goodnight, brown dog,” Danneel replies just as sweetly.

Jensen turns the page on the kids’ book and smiles as Jack rests against his side and sighs sleepily. “Tomorrow, we’ll do it all again.”

“You and me, down by the river,” Danneel says softly. “All day long until we find the grey mice.”

“And then the next day.”

Danneel strokes fingers through Julia’s hair as the little girl’s eyes slip closed. “And the one after that.”

Jensen smiles and drops his head down to Jack’s as the boy runs his finger along the tail of the shaggy brown dog on the last page. “You are the greatest friend I’ve known all summer.”

“The best.”

He lightly clears his throat to read the closing narration. “And the red bird dropped into her nest as the brown dog sat at the bottom of the tree and watched the sun go down. They all needed their rest to go again the next day … The end.”

Danneel looks up to Jensen and gently smiles before whispering, “She’s out.”

“Read it again,” Jack mumbles, burrowing closer to Jensen.

“I don’t think you’ll make it a third time, buddy,” Jensen says quietly.

Jack doesn’t reply, letting his eyes slide shut. Jensen carefully shifts off the bed and pulls Jack into his arms to put him into his own bed across the room. When he’s tucked in, Jensen runs his thumb across Jack’s forehead then kisses it.

He and Danneel each cross the room, switching places, and as she says goodnight to Jack, Jensen combs hair away from Julia’s shoulder, tugs the blanket up a little higher, and kisses her cheek. She mumbles something and turns towards him, but she doesn’t wake up, so he steps away.

Danneel smirks at him then steps around Jared in the hallway to go to her room. Leaning against the door frame, Jared grins at him, and Jensen can’t help but return the smile and pat his hip as he pulls the door mostly shut.

“I think brown dog is your best performance yet,” Jared murmurs as he pokes Jensen’s side.

“Shut up,” he returns without any heat. “We’ve got work to do.”

The two of them trek up and down three flights of stairs to get the kids’ presents from Danneel’s car. They haul the large shopping bags into their room, spend nearly two hours bent over on the floor to wrap them all, and stack them into the back of their closet.

Jared collapses on the bed with a groan and Jensen tucks a few things into place so there’s not an inch of princess or race car paper in sight. He slides the closet doors shut then climbs onto the bed and straddles Jared’s legs, dropping low to kiss and settle down on him.

Jared runs his hands under the back of Jensen’s shirt and closes his eyes. “Tell me about red bird,” he mumbles.

Jensen chuckles. “You can read the book yourself.”

“But I’m tired,” Jared whines.

“Must’ve been all that blackmail you committed.”

“Man, those kids got loose lips.”

Jensen laughs and kisses him again, staying close. “We _heard_ you.”

“I’ve gotta find quieter places to conduct business.”

“Your criminal activity is such a turn on,” Jensen says flatly.

Jared hums and squeezes at Jensen’s hips. “I’d so take you up on that, but I’m saving all my energy for the terror of twenty kids and a ten-foot bear.”

Jensen smiles, thinking of Jack and Julia’s birthday tomorrow at a local party complex, complete with the Birthday Bear mascot. “It’s not gonna be all work.”

“So you say.”

“When the kids are done racing around and filling up on all the junky pizza they can manage, we can run off for some fun of our own.”

Jared eyes him. “That sounds pretty crass for a kids’ party.”

“It’s the Bounce House,” he says with a leading voice.

“You’re gonna play on all the kids’ stuff, aren’t you?”

“They have a jumpy castle, Jared. A _jumpy castle_.”

Jared laughs, “You are ridiculous.”

“All work and no play makes Jensen a dull boy,” Jensen says seriously.

“Mmm, you’re right.” He flips them over and slides his hips into Jensen’s and smirks. “Let’s play a little.”

Jensen wraps a leg around Jared’s and kisses him soundly. Sometimes, Jared has _the best_ ideas.

 

  



End file.
